Lost in the Shadows
by eldest123323
Summary: Hey everyone! This story actually just popped into my head the other day. Its about a girl named Rivien and she falls for Lucien of the DB! Quick note: Lucien is younger in this story. He's in his early 20's. In the game he looks middle aged...
1. Chapter 1

Lost in the Shadows

_Lost in the Shadows_

It was a very rainy day in the Imperial City. I was just finishing some shopping in the Market District. I walked out of the shop that I was currently in, pulled the hood of my cloak over my head, and began walking through the rain-drenched streets. I hated days like this. There never really was anything to do. The arena was drenched so it wasn't that fun to watch, most of the people were in their houses keeping warm so there wasn't anyone to talk to either. I sighed. I might as well hurry home. There was an alley around here somewhere that would cut my time going through the market district…Ah! There it was. I turned into the damp alley and began walking quickly. I didn't' like places like this. Maybe it was just how I had been raised. Since my parents were wealthy, they had always warned me about being alone in certain areas. I might get mugged or worse. I heard something behind me and I spun around. A man was staggering towards me. He was drunk.

"Oh Gods…" I whispered. I turned to run, but somehow he caught up with me. He grabbed my arm and jerked me roughly backwards.

"Where are you going beautiful?" His words were slurred.

"Let me go!"

"How 'bout you give me a kiss first." He moved to kiss me. I punched him in the jaw.

"I said let me go!" He glared at me with bloodshot eyes.

"You're going to pay for that." He growled. He tried to wrestle me to the ground. I fought back with all my strength then remembered something. I kept a dagger strapped to my calf. Just in case. I managed to bend down enough to get a hold of it and I jerked it out of its sheath. The man didn't notice a thing.

_Kill him…_ A dark voice whispered in my head. Was I going crazy all of the sudden? He tried to grab me around the waist again. I held the dagger firmly in my right hand and plunged it straight down. It went directly into the center of his heart. His eyes widened in surprise, he made an odd gurgling noise in the back of his throat, and then he collapsed in a pool of blood. I stared at him in horror. I hadn't meant to kill him; merely incapacitate him. I backed away slowly. It was an accident…I turned and ran away without a backwards glance.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm not sure how long I ran

I'm not sure how long I ran. I just grabbed my horse, got over the big bridge, and ran off into the wilderness. A few guards had tried to stop me and ask what was wrong, but I had ignored them and kept going. Honestly, I was scared that I was going to get caught. I was over the horror of killing the man. Dusk was falling and I started looking for a place to make camp. I found one abandoned about twenty minutes later.

I tied my horse up, lit the fire with magic, and began looking around for food. I didn't have any and there wasn't any in the camp. I sighed, then heard a twig snap. I looked towards the sound and saw a rabbit sniffing around in the underbrush.

I didn't have a weapon on me so I shot it with magic. It fell over, dead. I retrieved the rabbit and began preparing it for supper. When I had it overt he fire cooking, I brushed my horse and pulled my short-sword and dagger out of my saddlebag. I sat back down by the fire and began cleaning them. Both were a gift from my parents.

There were elven weapons, very elegant and well made. They were also very sharp. I'd never had to use them but I had a feeling I was going to be using htem a lot soon. I wiped the blades until they gleamed in the firelight. I went back to my horse and pulled out some different clothes. (Riding in a skirt _wasn't_ fun). I quickly changed into breeches, riding boots, and a belted shirt. I put my dagger on my right hip and my sword on my left. My meal was finished so I ate the steaming hot meat quickly and laid down in the tent. Soon, I fell in to a deep, deep sleep.

I awoke in the middle of the night. It was that time where everything was silent and it felt like something was going to grab you at any moment. I crawled out of the tent and relit the fire. Then I almost screamed. Someone else was in my camp. He was leaning up against a tree.

"Hello Rivien. You sleep rather soundly for a murderer." I heard a dark chuckle in my head. I was going crazy; I had to be.

"Who are you?" I demanded. I put my hand on the hilt of my sword. His eyes followed the movement.

"My name is Lucien Lechance." Lucien? Interesting name.

"And why are you here?"

"Because I have an offer for you." I moved my hand away from my sword. An offer?

"I'm listening." He smiled.

"I'm here to offer you a place in a very unique family, Rivien. The Dark Brotherhood needs your…talents."

"The Dark Brotherhood is a myth."

"Really? Why do chills run down people's spines when the name is mentioned? Why do people ignore anything that is said about the Brotherhood?" I didn't have an answer. He was right. "So you see, I'm offering you a place with the most elite family of assassins that walk the earth." Wow. I would be an assassin…"So Rivien, what do you say?"

"Wow. The Dark Brotherhood…I say let me join." He smiled again. "I just want to know how you know my name."

"Sithis tells the listener things. Before you ask, the listener is the leader of the Dark Brotherhood. Sithis told him who you were and where to find you, and in turn, the listener told me." Sithis. I'd heard of him. Maybe I read about it…Lucien moved.

I glanced up and studied him for a second. He was in a cloak as black as the void with the hood down. The night and the fire were distorting the colors of his hair and eyes. I thought both were brown but I wasn't positive. The light breeze was blowing his shoulder-length hair back away from his face. He was and Imperial, but the way the fire was casting shadows on his face made his features appear slightly angular, like an elf. As soon as he turned though, that effect was lost.

"The dawn comes closer and I fear I must be going. But first," He pulled out a dagger. "a gift from me. Now, you need to go to Cheydinhall. I will meet you there and tell you your next step. Now, the road is that way," He pointed to the east, "and I will see you soon." He vanished.

I heard his footsteps until those too, faded away into the night. I sat down beside the fire and unsheathed the dagger Lucien had given to me. It was a beautifully crafted ebony dagger. There were gold designs on the blade and on the hilt. I replaced my elven dagger with the new one and looked at the sky. Sure enough, it was just a little lighter. Dawn was on its way. I stood and untied my horse from his tree. He whinnied and nuzzled my arm. I quickly cleaned up camp and banked the fire. Then I mounted my horse, and rode off into the direction Lucien had pointed out.


	3. Chapter 3

The road was fairly easy to find

The road was fairly easy to find. It was pretty much a straight shot through the trees for about a mile. There was a sign directly in front of me telling me the direction of Cheydinhall. On the way there I had a lot of time to think about what I was doing, but mostly I thought about Lucien. Who was he?

I knew he spoke for the Dark Brotherhood but that was all. What rank did he hold? I'd love to have the chance to sit and talk with him. He just didn't seem like the talkative type. I sighed. Sometimes life wasn't fair. All the good-looking men had problems. This one was a silent assassin. I think the Gods were using me for their own personal amusement. The last man I'd dated ended up going to prison for stealing money from the government. He'd working in the White Gold Tower managing finances. He was such an idiot. My parents had set up the marriage and I'd really never liked him. I was secretly thrilled that he was arrested.

Suddenly, the sun was in my eyes. I'd broken through the tree cover and was on top of a hill. From this vantage point I could see the very top of White Gold Tower and also the very top of the Cheydinhall Chapel. Choices. I looked down the road and decided to keep my horse on the track it was going. I'd rather not be arrested for murder. I was still young. It didn't take long to reach the city. I got there around midday. I'd run much further than I'd realized. I'd honestly figured I had been closer to Chorrol. I stabled my horse and went inside the city.

I'd always loved Cheydinhall with its small river, beautiful architecture, and quaint shops. It was a very inviting city. Now I knew that a group of legendary assassins resided here. You honestly would expect them to be in Bravil or Leyawin. I felt someone's hand brush my arm. I looked but there wasn't anybody that close to me.

"Don't panic." Someone whispered. I jumped a little it at the sound of the voice. It was the last thing I was expecting.

"Lucien?" I whispered.

"Yes. Don't draw attention to yourself." I allowed him to lead me through the city. He had his hand on the small of my back, leading me along without saying a word. People greeted me in the streets without realizing that I had an invisible partner. It was funny really. Soon, we arrived at an abandoned house. We went around back and he released his spell. While he unlocked the old well, I tried not to stare at him too much, but I wasn't very successful. He glanced up and I quickly averted my gaze.

"Come on Rivien." He allowed me to climb down first. Once my feet touched the ground, he landed beside me.

"Did you jump?" He just smiled and pushed me out of the small room and into a much larger one. The room we were now in was made of stone and lit with torches. The torches created deep shadows in the corners making the place seem much more sinister. There were two large wooden doors and a hallway. What I ended up staring at was a flag with a black hand on it. Lucien noticed what I was looking at.

"That's the sign of the black hand, the leaders of the brotherhood." I nodded. An Argonian walked out of the hallway.

"Ah, Lucien. Who is this with you?"

"This is Rivien, out newest member. Rivien, this is Ocheeva. If you have any questions, she's the one to ask." Ocheeva nodded. "I'm sorry but I have to be going. There are matters that I have to attend to." He walked back to the ladder and climbed up. Soon, we heard the grate slide closed.

"Lucien you are so rude." Ocheeva muttered. "So Rivien, come with me. I will show you around and get you situated."

"Thank you." I mumbled. I felt really out of place here. Ocheeva smiled and led me down the hallway first. She paused at the first door.

"This is my room. I don't get out to much so you should be able to find me at any time." We went down two more flights of stairs and arrived at another door. "This is Vincinte's room. He's been here longer than all of us. If you can't find me, he will answer all of your questions."

"Ok. This isn't to hard to remember."

"What has Lucien told you?" I looked up at her.

"Honestly? He's told me nothing really. Just a few murmured things."

"He didn't tell you the tenants?" Wordlessly I shook my head. "Gods Rivien. What did you do to him?"

"Nothing as far as I know."

"Hmm…" She led me back up the stairs and into the main area. She pushed open one of the two giant doors. "Here is the training room. You are welcome to use it any time you wish. Do you fight with a dagger?"

"I can."

"Sword?" I nodded. "What about a bow?"

"Not very well." I admitted. "I usually rely on magic for long-distance fighting."

"Magic may be useful but it creates light. We rely on shadow and stealth to make our kills. Here," She handed me a bow. "Use this to practice. Just a word of advice: a bow will help you. Sometimes getting close to a target to stab him is hard. A bow would be the best way to get rid of him." I pulled out a small dagger from my boot. I aimed at a dummy and flicked my wrist. The dagger buried itself where its heart should be.

"What about that?"

"How did you do that?" I shrugged.

"Practice. I normally conjure a dagger so I don't have to carry them around."

"Well, maybe you don't need a bow after all."

"I'll still practice." She smiled again. For an assassin she was really nice. We left the training room and crossed the main room again. We were in front of the other giant door. On the way, Ocheeva grabbed a book and handed it to me.

"This lists the five tenants, since Lucien failed to explain them to you." I took the book. My arms were getting a little full. She opened the big door and led me down another small flight of stairs. She stopped and opened a crate. "Here's some armor that I believe you will find very useful. We value stealth, this will make it nearly impossible to see you." She handed me the armor along with a hood. I was about to drop everything. We rounded the corner. Now we were in a room that served as a bedroom, eating area, and a very small library. "And here are the living quarters. This bed," she led me to the end one closest to the tables, "is currently not in use. You can have it unless you have somewhere else to stay."

"I lived in the Imperial City." I muttered.

"Here is the key to your chest." I dumped my things on my new bed, took the key, and unlocked it. "There's not much more I can show you. I do have a contract available. It shouldn't be to hard."

"Contract?"

"That's what we call our assignments."

"Oh." I said quietly.

"Would you like to hear about it?"

"Sure." Wow. I'd only joined mere hours ago and I was _already_ busy? She led me back to her room after I'd put my things away.

"Alright. The mark is a man in Chorrol. Some of the shopkeepers have complained that he's a thief. Someone prayed to the Night Mother to have him removed."

"That's all?"

"This will be a little harder than it sounds. Consider this you…test. Friends and his personal guards surround him all day. He lives in a large house on the edge of town. You can't miss it. We know he's home from eight to six but we don't know anything about his guards. Do you still want the contract?"

"So, all I have to do is eliminate the thief? What about the guards?" She shrugged.

"Do what you will. It won't always be this way. Other times you will lose pay if you kill guards or others on certain assignments." I nodded.

"I'll take it." Ocheeva smiled again.

"Leave when you want. I would follow him for a day unless you have an opportunity to kill him beforehand."  
"I'll keep that in mind."

"May Sithis guide you." She murmured. I swear I felt a dark presence pushing me along…I went back to the living quarters to change. I pulled on the armor and attached the hood but I didn't put it on. I pulled the dagger out of my boot and slid it in my new one. The armor fit perfectly. Actually it was very comfortable, almost like a second skin. I hooked my short sword on my belt. I would need to get a new one, the elven one stood out like a sore thumb. Couldn't be helped right now. As I was walking out the door to the main room, someone almost ran into me. I jumped back quickly, not sure how a trained assassin would react.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"No problem." It was Lucien. "I see Ocheeva already has you outfitted for a contract." I nodded.

"It's in Chorrol."

"Just a word of advice: You might want to get a new sword. Yours…sticks out." I smiled. To my surprise, he smiled back.

"I know. I need to buy a new one when I can." He nodded.

"Good luck on your contract, Rivien."

"Thanks." He walked off towards Ocheeva's room. I headed towards the ladder. I was about to climb up when someone jumped down and landed beside me.

"Oh, hello. Are you a new sister?" It was and Imperial woman, probably around my age with blond hair and blue eyes.

"I am."

"I'm Antoinetta Marie."

"Rivien."

"Are you already heading out on a contract?"

"I am. It's in Chorrol." Her eyes lit up.

"Oh, that one. Just watch him or kill him quickly if you get the chance."

"Thanks." She waved and went into the sanctuary. I climbed up the ladder and looked around. The sun as setting and most people were already at home. I snuck out the gate, grabbed my horse, and set off towards Chorrol.


	4. Chapter 4

I rode through most of the night. Chorrol was a bunch of twinkling lights when it first came into view. I stabled my horse and headed into the city. The guards gave me suspicious glances but otherwise ignored me. I was at a loss. Should I look for the house first? Something told me yes so I crept through the alleyways until I came to the house that was unmistakably his. Ocheeva was right, it was hard to miss. Everything looked normal, but I was going to take the advice I was given and watch him tomorrow. I found a cheap inn and rented a room. Maybe I could get in a few hours sleep.

I woke up just before dawn. It was gray and foggy outside, perfect for sneaking around. I made my way back to my targets house. There were two Orcs posted outside the door. I cursed. I could've ended this last night. The door opened and a middle-aged Imperial man walked out. I didn't hear what was said to the guards, but they followed him through the city.

I tailed them easily. His guards weren't very competent; they didn't even notice me. This man's schedule was _very uneventful._ He visited an inn, a few stores, spent forever talking to people, then headed back home around six. I climbed on top of another house and watched. I felt a chill run down my spine and I spun around. Nobody was watching me but I still felt very uncomfortable. I glanced back at the house. The guards had departed. I crept down and easily picked the lock on the front door. It swung open silently and I walked in.

There wasn't anybody in the living room. I walked into the kitchen/dining room. It was empty too. I walked up the stairs, careful not to make a sound, and opened the first door I came to. It led to my mark's room. He was sound asleep. Slowly I crept over and stood beside his bed. My dagger made a low _shnk_ when I drew it. He grunted and rolled over. I took a breath and suddenly the dark presence I'd been feeling came back. It urged me to end this quickly and efficiently. I slit his throat and exited the house. I cleaned my dagger and sheathed it. The presence was satisfied. I was about to leave the area when Lucien appeared—literally—in front of me. I jumped.

"Lucien?"

"Who else? You did a great job tonight Rivien. I'm impressed. Sithis chose well."

"Th-thank you."  
"If I were you, I would go back inside and steal anything you might find useful or valuable. You don't have to but it's a good way to make extra money." Why hadn't I thought of that?

"I think I'll do that."

"I'll see you back in Cheydinhall." He left. I snuck back into the house. There were display cases all around filled with jewels, jewelry, and other things. I grabbed two sacks, took what I could, and snuck back out of Chorrol. That wasn't easy. There were guards everywhere. I was sure nobody had been in the house…When I was outside, I put my newly acquired belongings in my saddlebags, mounted my horse, and left.

I took my time traveling back to Cheydinhall. Why had Lucien been watching me in Chorrol? I eventually settled on he just wanted to see how I did. I arrived in Cheydinhall the next evening. When I got into he sanctuary, I was met by Ocheeva.

"How did it go?" She asked.

"Very well. Did Lucien not tell you?"

"Lechance?" She asked confused.

"He was in Chorrol. Did he not stop by?"

"No. He lives nearby though nobody knows where. Maybe he'll come by later." She handed me a small pouch full of gold. "Your payment. I'll let you know when I have another contract." She walked away and I went into the living quarters. Antoinetta was asleep and another Argonian was sitting at a table. I put my things away and joined him.

"You must be our newest sister. Rivien right?"

"Right."

"I'm Telaendril."

"Nice to meet you."

"So, how went your first contract?"

"Pretty good actually." He smiled.

"I saw you putting away some things. Rich, yes?"

"Yes he was. Very." I started munching on an apple.

"Stupid rich men. Always getting themselves killed." I yawned.

"I'm going to get some sleep."

"Sleep well sister." I nodded. He stood and left the room. I quickly changed and crawled into bed. I pulled the coarse blankets over me, closed my eyes, and promptly fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

I awoke sometime later, not sure whether it was night or day

I awoke sometime later, not sure whether it was night or day. My sleeping schedule was getting screwed up. I stretched and climbed out of the bed. Nobody was in the living quarters. Surely contracts didn't come up this fast. I walked over to the cupboards and pulled out some food. I was already eating as I sat down at a table. Someone came into the room. I glanced up.

"Good morning. Rivien isn't it?" So it was morning. That was good to know.

"It is. And your name is…" I let the question hang.

"My name is Vincinte."

"Oh! Ocheeva mentioned you."

"Mind if I have a seat?" I shook my head and he sat across from me. I offered him some food. "No thank you." I shrugged and continued eating.

"Ocheeva said that you'd been a member of the brotherhood for a long time. How long exactly?" He thought for a moment.

"At least a hundred years." I stared at him. Then I noticed his eyes. Blood red. I felt all the color drain from my face.

"You're a vampire?" I whispered. I _really_ didn't feel safe now.

"Don't run away now. You've been acting fine."

"Just a shock. I always assumed vampires were a myth." He chuckled.

"Far from it. You'd be surprised to hear a list of vampires residing in Cyrodiil. But that's a story for another day. Ocheeva wanted me to tell you that you did a great job on your last contract. Nobody suspects the brotherhood of anything. You must be a natural."

"I doubt that." I muttered shyly.

"Better than me. On my first contract I had half of Bruma after me before I even got out of the city. Haven't been there since."

"Surely everyone who saw you is dead by now."

"Yes but I just don't like Bruma. Never have."

"I don't like it either. I went with my parents on a business trip there once. Even though we stayed with the countess it was _still_ freezing. I've never liked the cold."

"Yet Sithis marked you and the void is colder than anything you've ever known." He murmured so low I could barely hear.

"What?"

"Nothing." He stood. "Goodbye Rivien. Enjoy your meal." He left.

"Sithis marked me?" I shook my head and finished eating. I had a few thousand gold and I was going to look at some swords today. I'd brought in my things from my saddle bags, including a spare dress so I wouldn't stand out, and it didn't take me long to get ready.

I left the living quarters and went to the ladder. I climbed up quickly and closed the grate behind me. Not many people were out right now. I walked around the city for a while. Soon I found a secluded spot on a small island. There was a rock near the waters edge and I sat down on it to think for a while. None of the shops would be open this early. I gazed across the water for sometime.

"So, what exactly are you thinking about?" I jumped off of the rock and spun around. Lucien was standing behind me smiling at my reaction.

"I'm not really thinking about anything in particular." This was the first time I'd seen him in casual clothes. Honestly, he looked _nice_. He was in light riding breeches with black boots and a dark shirt. His arms were well muscled; you could tell he was used to hard work. His dark hair was loose and it framed his face.

"So, no contracts at the moment?"

"None that I know of." Where did he come from? Did he live in the city? Ocheeva said he lived close by but nobody knew where exactly.

"At least you get a few days without work. That's always nice. Why are you out in Cheydinhall alone?"

"What does it matter?" he smiled again.

"What kind of lady goes around without an escort? Come on, I'll take you to your next stop." He offered an arm. Surprised I took it and allowed him to lead me to the bridge. "Where are you going?"

"The smith. I need a new sword." He nodded and walked me to the blacksmith's shop. He opened the door for me. "Thank you." I said as I walked by. Lucien nodded.

"What can I do for you today?" A big man boomed from behind his anvil. I jumped a little, not expecting to hear a voice.

"We are looking for a sword. Ebony if you have it." Lucien said before I could answer. The smith rubbed his chin.

"What kind of sword? Long, short, claymore?"

"Short." The smith walked over to a rack filled with weapons of all kinds. He selected one and handed it to Lucien.

"This ok?" Lucien flicked it around a few times.

"Perfect. How much?"

"Two thousand gold." Lucien handed him the money and escorted me out of the shop.

"I could've paid." I said.

"Consider it a gift. It'll match your dagger." I didn't say anything. He handed me the sword. "How does it feel?" I did the same thing he did. The balance was perfect.

"I think it'll work perfectly. Thanks so much." He smiled at me.

"Is that all you came out here for?" I nodded. "What would you say to running a few errands with me?" What happened to Lucien being a recluse? I got the impression that he wasn't a people person from everyone else.

"I don't mind." He offered his arm again and I took it. We spent most of the day together browsing through some of the shops in Cheydinhall. Around six in the evening, he offered to buy me dinner. Before I could say yes or no he bought some things from a shop and led me back to the rock that he'd met me at earlier. He split up the food and we began eating.

"Thank you for running those errands with me."

"It was no problem. I didn't have anything to do today. Actually, I enjoyed myself." He was actually really funny. He loved to joke around. Who knew an assassin could be such a gentleman?

"I'm glad you had fun." We finished the rest of the meal in silence. It wasn't the awkward kind either. We were perfectly comfortable just sitting beside each other like this. When we finished, he cleaned up and said he would walk me back to the sanctuary. We went back slowly, enjoying the crisp night air.

"So, are you coming inside?"

"No. I'm going back to my home."

"This has been bugging me. Where exactly do you live?" He smiled.

"There's a fort outside of the city that I live in. Maybe you can stop by sometime." He actually told me where he lived. Wow, he must really trust me. "Do me a favor though, don't tell anybody where I live. There's a reason why it's secret." I raised an eyebrow. "Some of the members really get on my nerves. I don't want them to know where my most private area is." Yep, he had to trust me. Even though he didn't really know me…I shook my head.

"I guess I should go inside. I'll see you sometime." He nodded.

"Bye Rivien." He kissed the top of my head before departing. I stood there in shock for a moment. Lucien kissed the top of my head…I couldn't figure out why. I went back inside of the sanctuary and made a beeline for the living quarters. I quickly changed out of the dress and into something more suitable for being underground.

A few members were back and they said hey to me but I didn't really want to talk. I lay back on my bed and stared at the ceiling replaying all of today's events in my mind. I don't know exactly when I fell asleep, but when I did, it was the deepest sleep I'd had in months.

Authors note: I decided to make Lucien much more likeable. Who would fall for a complete jerk? Let me know what you think. I'm not really sure where to go from here. If you have any ideas or suggestions, message me and let me know.


	6. Chapter 6

The next week went by quickly

The next week went by quickly. I didn't see Lucien again and my mood was getting worse day by day because of that. When I got out of the bed and was fully conscious, Ocheeva came into the living quarters.

"Good morning Rivien."

"Hey Ocheeva." I stifled a yawn.

"I have a contract for you if you'd like it."

"Really? What is it?"

"There's a man in Skingrad who's been causing problems. The aristocrats have reported that he's a thief. He's been caught trespassing multiple times."

"What about the guard? Can't they catch him?"

"None of them are skilled in magic. Your mark just vanished so none of the guards can catch him. All we know is that he follows a pattern. If you can get to Skingrad in two days, you should be able to intercept him _before_ he attempts to rob the count."

"He's going to try and rob the count? What is he, suicidal?" Vincinte had told me about a few vampires living in Cyrodiil. Janus Hassildor (The Skingrad count) was one of them.

"Well, somebody has a death wish for him. Anyway, the count is expecting you. He knows much more information than I do." Great. He was expecting me.

"Alright Ocheeva. Consider it done." She nodded and left. I pulled out my armor and put it on. This time I decided to wear the hood since I had to meet somebody. I hooked my sword onto my left hip and left the room. A few people were standing around talking and murmured things such as 'Sithis guide you' and 'good luck' as I walked past. I climbed up the ladder, slid the well grate away, climbed out, and put the grate back. I put my arms over my head and arched my back in a stretch. My back popped a few times and afterwards, the stiffness was gone.

"Another contract I see." I jumped. Surely I would get used to this sometime.

"Hey Lucien. Yep, I'm going to Skingrad to get rid of another thief." He nodded. I noticed he was back in his dark robes.

"I heard. So, are you leaving now?" I nodded. "I could accompany you if you'd like." He, yet again, stunned me. He was so much different than the distant man I'd first met. And that had only been about two weeks ago.

"You're welcome to come." I managed. Man, I sounded like such an _idiot._ He smiled. He was in a rank above me; of course he could come if he wanted. He was just being polite.

"Well thank you Rivien. I feel like taking my horse out for awhile." We walked out of the city together and he went inside the coral and took out a beautiful black horse.

"She's beautiful." I whispered.

"This is Shadowmere. Careful, she bites." I'd already placed my hand on her muzzle and was gently stroking her. She whinnied and nuzzled my hand. Lucien just stared at the exchange. "I don't know how you accomplished that. Most people who tried to touch her would lose a hand. A finger at minimum." I smiled and went into the coral to get my own horse. She was standing to the side away from every other horse. I moved towards her and she reared up and pawed the air. I jumped away.

"Calm down girl. It's me." She continued to rear up. Lucien came up beside me and pulled me away.

"Rivien, be careful. I think she's rabid." I looked at her closer. Foam was beginning to form around her lips and the whites of her eyes were visible.

"No…" A stable hand came up to us.

"What seems to be the problem?" The elf asked.

"I think that her horse is rabid." Lucien told the helper.

"Oh my…" She pulled out a dagger. "You two might want to leave. I don't want this animal to suffer." Spoken like a true elf. Lucien gently pulled me away from my horse. I had tears forming in the corners of my eyes. She couldn't be rabid!

"Rivien, you can ride with me. Shadowmere isn't a normal horse. It won't bother her to carry two people." I sniffled.

"Thanks Lucien." I muttered. Shadowmere nickered a little when we got close. Lucien helped me up and then climbed on behind me.

"Ready?" I nodded. He snapped the reigns and Shadowmere began racing down the road. Even with two people she was _fast_. Lucien and I managed to talk a little but he could tell that I just wasn't in the mood. He allowed me to sit in silence for a few hours. Soon, the Imperial City came into view.

"How long have we been riding?" I asked. I felt him shrug.

"I don't know. A few hours. Maybe more."

"And we're already near the Imperial City?" I turned to look at him.

"I told you she was different." He flashed me a heart-melting smile. Was I falling for him? Lucien, a speaker for the Black Hand? I shook my head. Surely I wasn't that stupid. I turned and looked ahead. Secretly I was enjoying the ride with Lucien behind me. We continued on past the Imperial City and soon, I found myself nodding off. Horseback riding always made me sleepy. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. Without realizing it, I laid my head on Lucien's chest and started drifting into a state of unconsciousness. I felt his arms tighten around me and then I truly fell into sleep.

I know this update is a little short(It seems short to me anyway) Let me know what you think! I'm enjoying writing this story. I think that I have an idea of why Lucien turns into a complete jerk later on. Be prepared for a surprise… - I think that there will be a few chapter from Lucien's POV later on too. It will make more sense.


	7. Chapter 7

Lucien's POV

**Lucien's POV**

I felt Rivien sag against me when she fell asleep. I had to smile—I was doing that a lot these days. Ever since I met Rivien, I'd noticed a change. I'd never let myself get close to anyone—not after what I'd witnesses a few years ago—but I found myself wanting t know Rivien, and in turn, wanting her to get to know me. I sighed. I wasn't a people person. She shifted positions and when I glanced down, I saw that her face was tilted towards mine.

Oh, how I wanted to kiss her—I stopped myself. I was falling for her; I could feel it. How could I—Lucien Lechance, one of the coldest assassins the world has known—fall for this girl? Her long, thick black hair, beautiful green eyes, even the stubborn set of her chin, all of it was inviting. She captivated me. I led Shadowmere through some short cuts. I know Rivien had two days but it would look better if she arrived early. I sighed.

Sithis had marked her so I was giving her specific assignments and following her to see how she did. If she did well on a few more contracts, maybe I could take her on missions with me. She was definitely Speaker material. It was obvious in the way she carried herself and in the way she treated others. I felt her stir. She was waking up.

**Rivien's POV**

I jolted awake a while later.

"I was beginning to think that you were never going to wake up. How can you sleep on a horse?" Lucien murmured in my ear. I hadn't noticed before, but I was lying against his chest and my face was really close to his. I sat up straight really fast.

"Wow. Lucien, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"I didn't mind." He said. My face colored.

"How long until we get to Skingrad?" I was desperately trying to change the subject.

"And how long was I asleep?" He thought for a moment.

"Maybe an hour. Give or take."

"So, in four hours we will have crossed the country."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Shadowmere is special." Shadowmere snorted as if to emphasize what was said. I laughed and it echoed off of the trees. We were silent for a little while.

"Hey Lucien, how did you join the Brotherhood?" He hesitated.

"About five years ago I saw my family murdered. We lived on a farm a few miles from Chorrol. A band of marauders came through one day. They burned everything, killed my father and brother when they tried to fight back, and they brutally tortured my two sisters and my mother before killing them. I had gone to do something so I wasn't caught. Instead, I appeared in the middle of it and hid in the bushes." He stopped.

"Come on Lucien. It's ok."

"I was such a _coward_." He ground out. Before I could say anything, he continued. "I memorized the faces of the men and followed them. That night, I slew all of them after they went to sleep." My eyes widened.

"How many were there?"

"Ten. The Brotherhood found me the next day and offered me sanctuary and protection. I gladly accepted and here I am."

"Wow. I'm so sorry Lucien."

"It's fine." He said voice low. I felt horrible for even bringing it up now. A drunk assaulted me; he saw his whole family killed. "Don't tell anyone."

"Hmm?"

"Don't tell anyone. The only one who knew died. I want everyone else to think I'm just cold and distant by nature."

"Why would you want that?" He smiled but it didn't touch his eyes.

"So people won't bother me. It's the same with where I live."

"Oh." Was all I said. Lucien wasn't distant. I had seen the side that nobody else ever saw. He was actually really sweet.

"You won't tell, will you?"

"Of course not. I'll take it to the grave." He hugged me.

"Thanks Rivien. I'll trust you on that." We didn't say anything until Skingrad came into view.

"When do you think I should visit the count?"

"Tonight. He's expecting you at night. Just scale the walls." He saw my expression and laughed. "Trust me, it's not as hard as it sounds."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Do you know an invisibility spell?" I nodded.

"It's not to hard to memorize them."

"What about a detect life spell? From what I know, your mark just disappears."

"I know both. I practiced magic when I was bored which was most of the day." Lucien chuckled.

"Oh the perils of a rich girl."

"You have no idea." I muttered darkly. "It was nothing but rules, rules, and more rules. If you say this then you dishonor your parents, and if you do that you're a slut. The list is endless."

"And how is the Brotherhood?"

"I love it! It's so easy to get accepted in the sanctuary."

"Of course. Now, if you were the listener then it would be rules, rules, and more rules. You'd be treated like a king—or a queen in your case. I feel sorry for our listener. He hates formality." I laughed.

"Most people do. Event the ones born into it." We climbed off Shadowmere and stabled her. The horse wasn't even breathing heavy. "You have to tell me how you got her."

"Another story for another day. Remind me another day and I'll tell you the story."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Alright, I'll see you after you finish your contract. Trust me I'll know when you're done so don't even ask the question." I shut my mouth. I must be easy to read. "Remember, wait till tonight. I would get familiar with the city until later tonight. Then scale the castle walls. You don't have to go through the Count's window but it would be so much easier if you could find it. I'll tell you this: his room is on the second floor in a locked wing of the castle. I hope you can pick locks."

"Like a pro."

"Good." He kissed the top of my head like he did the other day. "Well then, I'll see you soon." He vanished. I let out a sigh.

"Well, time to get started." I headed into the city.

Now, if you read my notes earlier then you know that I was thinking on how to make Lucien dark and cold in his later life. What was said in here isn't all of it but it's definitely part of it. That's all I will reveal right now. Evil laugh I'll keep trying to post a part daily. Trying being the key word. Anyway, let me know what you think so far!

XO Eldest123323


	8. Chapter 8

It was the middle of the day so I guessed I should take Lucien's advice and familiarize myself with the city of Skingrad

It was the middle of the day so I guessed I should take Lucien's advice and familiarize myself with the city of Skingrad. I began walking, exploring every alley and alcove I found. The whole time I felt someone watching me and honestly, it made me feel uncomfortable. I knew that it wasn't Lucien.

This made me feel cold everywhere. Since I was in an alley at the moment, feeling this way made me glance around nervously so I ran back out into the main street and almost bumped into a Skingrad guard. He glared at me but kept walking. It was getting late (finally!) and I slowly made my way towards the castle. When I say slowly, I mean _slowly_. I took the longest possible route to the castle. The sun had set when I got to the base of the hill that led to the impressive and imposing castle Skingrad. I cast an invisibility spell and crept up the hill. The two guards at the door didn't' see me so getting inside was relatively simple. Now how to get to the second floor…I stood against the wall and released the spell. My magika was going to be completely drained soon if I didn't rest.

This armor helped keep me invisible anyway (at least in the shadows) so I had a few seconds to get my strength back. A guard came through the courtyard and I froze, held my breath, and waited for him to pass. He did and I was unnoticed. I let my breath out with a _whoosh_. I officially loved this armor. I checked the courtyard then ran across and found some stairs. They led up onto a little walkway with a roof…I had an idea. I jumped and grabbed the lip of the building and swung my legs back and forth to gain momentum. Then I did a flip and landed on the roof.

"That wasn't so bad." I whispered to myself. "Now for the wall." I wasn't sure where the Count's room was so I was going to have to just get to the second floor. I cast the invisibility spell again and put a hand on the wall. I briefly thought about people would think if they saw a person scaling the wall and giggled at the thought. The stone was rough and worn but it had enough handholds to make for a (hopefully) simple climb. I placed my hands and feet where I wanted them and began climbing up slowly. My goal was the lowest window on the second floor. I _detested _heights and this wasn't making me feel too great. I placed a hand on a stone, moved my feet, and rested my weight on the wall. A stone under my left foot broke away and I nearly fell. I scrambled up the wall and all but leaped inside the castle. Since I was invisible, I placed my back against the wall, slid down to the floor, and placed my head between my knees.

"Gods…" I breathed. This wasn't even where my damn mark was. I stood and began creeping through the halls. I almost ran right into an argonian female when I rounded a corner. Since I was still invisible, she didn't see me but she did stop and look around like she suspected something. That wasn't good.

_Follow her_. Was that a voice in my head? It was back? I'd thought I'd lost it…Obviously I was wrong. The voice hadn't led me astray before, so I decided to trust it and I crept along behind the argonian. She turned and went down another hall, unlocked the massive door at the end, and I jumped in behind her before it closed and she locked it again. Now I was in an ornately decorated room in shades of scarlet and black. Such fashion sense, I thought to myself. I pulled my hood back over my head and began sneaking around. Sure I was still invisible, but I knew that the count was skilled in magic and could easily dispel the spell that I'd cast and if that happened, I didn't want him to see my face. I walked up a small flight of stairs and found the count sitting at a desk writing a letter to someone.

The argonian stopped at the base of the stairs and stood there. I walked over to the count. He spun around and quickly did what I thought he would do: he dispelled my invisibility. His look of fury quickly turned into one of recognition.

"You are from the brotherhood." It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact. I just nodded. "The silent type. Well then listen here. There is a thief planning on coming here tomorrow night. His name is not important. There is a secret door in a basement room that leads right to my quarters. You know just in case." He grinned, showing his fangs. I fought back a gasp. I didn't like seeing fangs on anybody, not even Vincinte. It just made me uncomfortable.

"I will allow you access tonight and tomorrow night to get rid of this man." I nodded. This didn't sound to hard. "Your biggest problem will be getting there. You have to go through the dungeon and then through a secret door at the end of the jail cells. Just pull the candle." This honestly sounded way to easy. What was the catch? "I can't believe I'm trusting an assassin with this information." He added to himself. I didn't blame him. I wouldn't have trusted me if I was in his position. "Just pull the candle. Alright, you're free to go." I cast the invisibility spell again and crept back out of his quarters.

The argonian stiffened as I walked by her but otherwise there were no other issues. The jail wasn't that hard to find. I found a stairwell that led right down to it. There was one guard sitting at a table reading a book and only one prisoner who was asleep in his cell. I found the candle I was told about and pulled it. The door slid open and I snuck in. It slid shut behind me when I pulled another one. I cast a night eye spell and looked around. Was that _blood_ on the ground? I tried not to look at it. I didn't want to go any farther in this stupid hallway so I leaned up against the door and settled in for the wait.

I was about to nod off when there was a sound directly in front of me. I recast my spells and added a detect life one this time. A short bosmer was sneaking towards me. I drew my sword, glad that I got to use it, and shifted positions. The elf heard me and froze, drawing his own sword in response.

"Who are you?" He demanded. "Show yourself."

"Why don't you show yourself? You're the one who doesn't have permission to be here."

"And who are you to tell me what to do? You're just a weak little female. An Imperial by the sound of it." That just ticked me off. I released my spell and glared at where he was standing. It was honestly weird glaring at rock…He released his spell. "I was right! You are just a stupid female." What was he, sexist?

"I'm not the weak female that you think I am." I moved and the candlelight reflected off my armor slightly. The elf's eyes widened.

"You're from the Brotherhood. That's their armor…" He whispered. I grinned. It felt good watching him squirm like this. The dark thing inside of me thirsted for blood; I could feel it. "I won't let you kill me!" He yelled. The elf lunged at me and slashed at my neck. I blocked it easily and slashed his left arm, rendering it useless. He snarled at me. This was too easy. Fueled by adrenaline and whatever lived inside me, I made quick work of the elf. I didn't want to do anything with the body (From the looks of the blood, people came down here often enough) so I released ever other spell and cast the invisibility one again. I was getting tons of illusion practice tonight, I thought. I silently ran back out of the castle and into the courtyard. Someone grabbed my arm. I jumped about a foot in the air.

"Rivien, it's me!" Lucien hissed. I relaxed instantly. I felt completely safe now.

"Hey Lucien. I guess you did know exactly when I finished." He kept a hand on my arm and we walked out of the city together. Once outside, we both released out invisibility spells. I gave him a quick hug. He smiled and whistled for Shadowmere. She came out of the stables and trotted over to us. He helped me up then mounted himself.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." He began leading Shadowmere down the road. "So, when are we going to get back to Cheydinhall?" He hesitated for a moment.

"We're not going to Cheydinhall." I was confused.

"Why?" I turned to look at him.

"Because I believe that you've proven yourself."

"Proven myself?" He nodded.

"I've watched all of your contracts and I agree with everyone else; you're gifted. Sithis marked you to be one of the best assassins the brotherhood has ever seen. So Rivien, you are going to be doing your contracts with me from now on."

Author's notes:

I realize that I made a mistake in chapter 4. I said that Telaendril was an argonian when she really was a wood elf. My bad. I just didn't really see her that much. Anyway, I'm sorry that it took me four days to post anything. I had a very busy weekend. Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think.

XO, eldest123323


	9. Chapter 9

I was going to be working with Lucien now

I was going to be working with Lucien now? Sure the idea appealed to me to me, but at the same time, it angered me.

"And why do you want me to work with you?" I snapped. His expression was surprised.

"I told you, you've proven yourself. You were meant to work with me."

"And what if I don't want to?"

"Sithis marked you, so dammit you are going to work with me!" He was getting angry now.

"Who says? Lucien, I like you, but I'm _not_ going to be controlled!" He glared at me, a fearsome thing honestly.

"I am your superior and you _will_ work with me!" I huffed and moved away from him. We were camping anyway, I would be fine. Shadowmere made a noise and nuzzled my arm. She knew that Lucien was being an ass. I stood staring into the trees for a few minutes. My ears pricked at the sound of light footsteps.

"Rivien, I'm sorry." I just shot him a look. "Look, things are a little stressful right now. The brotherhood is getting more contracts than usual and quite a few of our brothers and sisters are getting killed or captured then killed. Somehow the Imperial Guard is getting tipped off." That caught my attention. I decided that I would talk to him again.

"Tipped off?" He nodded.

"The contracts that take place in the cities is where everything is happening."

"How do you know about the Imperial Guard?"

"Because I was in the Imperial City taking care of some things when I heard a crash. I was dressed in common clothes so I ran down the street to see what was going on. Soldiers were attacking one of the assassins from the Cheydinhall sanctuary. Her name was Hannah. She saw me, closed her eyes, smiled and muttered a spell. Then she died. She committed suicide rather than keep her slim chance at keeping her life!" He took a breath. "Other assassins have died in the same manner recently."

"Suicide? I can understand why. The higher-ups would've tortured her for her brotherhood secrets."

"How do you know?" I exhaled.

"I _was_ engaged to the financial manager of White Gold Tower. Before you ask, it was most definitely _not_ my choice."

"Parents arranged it, did they?"

"Yep. Anyway he _enjoyed_ torturing prisoners. He tried to get me to come along a few times. He told me about what they do to them. Most die during the torture and the rest are thrown to the arena with a group of hungry lions. I was forced to go watch those."

"I know that was horrible for you to watch. You aren't the kind of person who would enjoy that."

"No I'm not."

"Wait, you said you _were_ engaged. What happened?" I smiled.

"An 'unknown' source reported his money managing skills. He was stealing a lot of the money he handled. He's in jail at the moment." Lucien blinked then started laughing. It echoed off the trees.

"Unknown? Rivien, you were setting yourself up to be an assassin even then. How long were you looking into all of this?" I thought for a minute.

"A few years. Then I had to sneak into the Captain of the Imperial Guard's and leave a note. They arrested him as he was trying to make yet _another_ move on me." I chuckled. That was one of the best days of my life.

"Amazing. I'd heard that the man had been arrested." I yawned.

"Lucien, I'm going to sleep." I walked to the bedroll.

"I'll watch over you." He murmured. I lay down and closed my eyes. Soon, I was sound asleep.

*****

Hola! Sorry that its been days since I updated. Forgive me!  I was having an awful writers block problem and I was trying to make Rivien seem less like a Mary Sue. (You know who you are… :P) I don't mind. I like the criticism. Hope you enjoyed. Let me know!


	10. Chapter 10

When I awoke, Lucien was sitting on a low-hanging tree branch watching the sunset. I quietly stood and walked over to stand behind him.

"So, where is our first contract?" I asked. He turned to look at me.

"It's in county Chorrol. There's a castle right above the city where a tyrant and his family lives." He hopped off the branch.

"There's a castle up there? I didn't know about it."

"Most people don't travel that far away from the city." I nodded. I guess that was true. Most people didn't stray to far from what they were familiar with. "Are you ready to go? Do you want to eat here or later?"

"Later is fine." He smiled and whistled for Shadowmere. She whinnied and walked over. "I'll get the bedroll." He shook his head.

"You can just leave it. We are going to be sleeping in a real camp the next time we stop." That sounded much better. At least I would have a tent over me. We mounted and Lucien pointed her in the direction he wanted her to go then let the horse set her own pace.

"So tell me about this tyrant that we're going after." I said after a long silence.

"Like I said, he lives in a castle above Chorrol. The people who work for him and the ones who live in a village near the castle constantly suffer under his cruelty." There was suppressed anger in his voice. I wonder what this man did that was so horrible. I asked. Lucien flashed me a look and then looked ahead at the road.

"The man that we're going after takes all the food from the village and hordes it in his caste. He only allows them to keep what they can survive off of. If you can call it survival. The rations he gives them are barely more than scraps and they have to scrounge for food and clothing." He sounded so passionate about all of this. I wondered if he had an alterior motive.

"Lucien," I said quietly. He glanced back at me. "Is there something more that I need to know about this village?" He sighed.

"I knew that you wouldn't be fooled. The village that we're going to is my hometown." I stared. Of course! No wonder he is so upset about this! It made sense. I touched his arm.

"Lucien, I'm so sorry. Is this the same man that ruled over the province when you lived there?"

"No. It's his son." He ground out. I decided to let the topic of his past drop. No need to cause him pain.

"Alright. So what do you need me to do?" Surely he didn't need two people to assassinate this man.

"I need you to scout out the castle with me. We're going to eliminate part of his guard and the tyrant himself. There's to many for me to kill alone because one would notice and raise the alarm." I nodded. This didn't sound to hard.

"I'll eliminate the guard. You're free to get rid of the man."

"Whoever gets to him first kills him. I'd love to do it but if you have an opprotunity, feel free." We fell silent. I would really have to pay attention to my surroundings when we made it to the castle. Lucien had seen the outside of the castle before so he knows a little bit about the area. I watched the trees fly by and felt Shadowmere's muscles move beneath me. Lucien was extremely quite presumably lost in his thoughts. I didn't say a word; I just tried to think about how we would pull off this multiple murder. I could easily handle the guard and I wanted to leave the man to Lucien. I thought about this for awhile and about an hour later Lucien stopped Shadowmere. Chorrol was just over the hill.

"We're going to have to walk from here." Lucien dismounted and offered a hand. I let him pull me down and he hid Shadowmere behind a tree. "I don't want to be spotted and we need to scout the castle tonight. If we walk, we should arive about the time the guard changes." He'd been here scouting already. How would he know when the guard changed? I didn't say anything; I just followed him through the woods.

"Rivien, hide!" I jumped behind a rock and Lucien did the same. A man in steel armor walked by, hand on his sword hilt. I exchanged a look with Lucien and he shook his head. He didn't want me to kill the man. It would be so easy... The guard continued on through the woods, opposite the direction that we were going luckily. We wouldn't have to kill him then. Lucien motioned for me to follow him and we continued on our way to the castle. It was nearly dark when we arrived. The castle wasn't huge but it wasn't what I would call small either. There was a tower on each of the four corners. It was a square, the most common castle design. The towers weren't very high but I could see a guard on each one and two patrolling the battlements. This was going to be difficult.

"So Lucien, where do we start?"


	11. Chapter 11

"Rivien, I want you to scope out the perimeter. We need to know how many guards are stationed around the castle." I nodded. I could do that. I moved into the shadows. "And Rivien," I turned. "Be careful." I smiled.

"I'm always careful." I slipped into the deepening shadows and cast an invisibility spell. I slilently ran to the wall of the castle. There was a guard standing a little ways away from me, staring into the woods. He was obviously expecting someone to come running through the woods. I snuck around the wall to the gate. It was slightly open so I squirmed underneath it and looked around the courtyard.

It was a boring square shape. There was a forge to my left and a stable to my right. Currently there was only a small chesnut more in the fence. There was a flight of stairs on either side of me. I took the one to my left. All I saw was a guard on each of the four towers and two patrolling the battlements. No more that what I'd observed outside. I quietly ran out of the castle and through the trees to where Lucien was hiding. I released the spell.

"What did you find?"

"Six guards are on the upper part. One on each tower and two patrolling around the wall. A guard stands between us and that castle but thats about it." He pursed his lips in thought.

"Kill the guard in our way. Then we will enter the castle."

"What about the guards on the upper part?"

"Trust me, we can easliy avoid them." The smile he gave me was positively bone-chilling. A cold breeze whipped up then, making both of us pull up our hoods. I ran ahead, my feet falling in exactly the right spots; I didn't make a sound. Not bad for an Imperial. I drew my dagger and with expert aim, threw it at the guard. It burried itself in his throat and he fell over without a sound. I retrieved my dagger and waited on Lucien to catch up.

"Nice work. Come on." I allowed him to lead the way. He took a different approach, opting to scale the wall after casting an invisibility spell. Once on top of the wall, we dodged a guard and ran down the stairs. At the moment I was glad I had used a detect life spell; Lucien was fast. And since he was invisible, it made following him twice as hard. Lucien was like a shadow, moving unknown through the courtyard even though he was running through a lit area. He cracked open the door ever so slightly and slid inside. I followed and he silently closed the door.

"Alright Rivien. You need to find the captain of the guard and his second in command. You'll know when you find them. Both wear steel armor with gold plating. They're the only two in the castle with that particular type of armor. If you come across the tyrant," He spit the word, "I give you full permission to kill him. He wears overely elegant clothes all the time and has a signet ring with a horse on it that he never takes off. Ready?" I nodded then remembered he couldn't see me.

"Yeah. Let's get this over with." Lucien disappeared from my side and went to another part of the castle. I decided to start with the lower level first. I looked around the main area then headed under an archway. It led into a room full of stuffed beasts from around Cyrodiil. Troll, bear, mountain lion, wolf, etc. It matched the giant Daedroth in the front room I guess.

This guy was a freak! Who kept stuffed creatures in their home? I shook my head and looked around. My spell wasn't showing me where anyone was so I assumed that nobody was in here. I went back to the front room and opened a door to the side. It led to a small storage room. I growled under my breath. Nobody was in this stupid castle! I found another door and opened it. There was a bed currently occupied by a redguard. He was sound asleep. I noticed some armor sitting on a table and I went to inspect it. It was steel and gold plated. I drew my dagger and quickly slit his throat.

He died quickly and painlessly. Sure I was an assassin, but I didn't want my victims to suffer for no reason. I didn't have a personal problem with this person. That done I went back out and up the stairs. This mission was really too easy. Once upstairs, I found the other man quickly. I followed him to a secluded spot and then stabbed him in the back. That done, I decided to look for the other man. I'd fullfilled my part of the bargain but Lucien might need help. I doubted it but who knew? I'd been through the whole first floor and I highly doubted that this man would be seen in his basement so I focused on the upstairs portion of the castle.

I opened a door and found myself in a very elegant suite of rooms. It contained a bedroom, dining room, office, another small room that seemed to be used as a library, and then a small storage room to the side of the library. It was unoccupied according to my detect life spell. I walked around gazing at everything that was on display. This man loved weapons and books. He had a ton of dwarven and elven weapons and armor displayed around the room along with a ton of ancient books. I doubted he could even read them. They were mostly written in dead languages that only scholars at the Arcane University knew how to read and use. I was casually looking around the room when I heard a door shut. I turned and saw a man in his early twenties walking towards me with a malacious grin on his face.

"So you've finally come to kill me. I knew you would." My detect life spell didn't work on this man. How? And how did he know I was here? "So Lucien, enjoying my humble abode? You should as it will be the only time that you get to see the inside of it." So this man thought that I was Lucien? Interesting. He waved a hand and I felt my spell fade. How was this man doing this? He wasn't an Elf! Since the armor I was wearing was standard brotherhood armor, he couldn't tell if I was Lucien or someone else. "Why so silent? Are you not itching to kill me? After all, it was partially my fault that your familiy is dead, is it not?" It was his fault? "We were both young and foolish. I was seventeen and just getting started in the world. You were in my way and I had to find a way to crush you. I 'accidentally' led that band of marauders to your farm. They were supposed to kill you too but you weren't among the bodies.

When I'd heard that all of the marauders had been killed, I knew that it would come to this. You always were way to noble." He moved towards me, dagger drawn. I jumped to the side and suddenly fell to the ground. A paralysis spell!? I tried to break it but even though I was an excellent spell caster, his magic was much more powerful than mine. He jerked my hood back and gasped. "A woman?"

"You're damn right. Now let me go asshole!" I yelled at him. He grinned wolfishly.

"I don't think so. You're a pretty little thing aren't you? Maybe I'll have a little fun before I dispose of you." I felt my face pale. This man was not saying what I thought he was saying. But I could see that he was all to serious. Oh gods, what had I gotten myself into?

*****

Hey everyone! I know that I left on in a wonderfull spot just for you! Haha! I love suspense and this just adds to the drama. So, will Rivien miraculously break away or will Lucien appear and save the day? Maybe this is then end of Rivien. Stay tuned and you'll find out. Sorry, I just couldn't resist sounding like an idiot for a little while.

XO, Eldest123323


	12. Chapter 12

**Lucien's POV**

Where was Rivien? I'd looked all over the castle for her--and for my mark for that matter--but I didn't see either anywhere. I saw Rivien's work and I must say at least she's carefull about where she leaves her victims. They were killed in such a way so that I know they didn't suffer. God's where was she?! I was getting frustrated. Surely she didn't up and leave! I glanced around the castle. There was only one place that I hadn't looked and that was the living quarters of someone. I didn't even want to think his name. I sped up the stairs and to the door of his suite. Quietly, I eased it open and slipped inside. That's when I heard talking.

"A woman?" I paled. She'd been discovered.

"You're damn right. Now let me go asshole!" She yelled. Obviously he had her paralyzed. This man had always been skilled in magic and I didn't think to warn her.

"I don't think so. You're a pretty little thing aren't you? Maybe'll I'll have a little fun before I dispose of you." Cold fury overtook me then. I could hear her trying to get away; the spell was wearing off. I moved around the corner slightly. Rivien was laying on the ground, barely able to move and that disgusting _thing_ (I refused to refer to him as a human being) was grinning and leaning over her. He kissed her and I began moving towards her. Rivien made one final attempt to get rid of him and it was what I least expected. With a quick jerky movement she got her mouth away from his and screamed,

"Lucien!!" I drew my dagger and was about to stab him in the throat when I suddenly found myself thrown against the wall. I was being smiled at by the thing and Rivien was staring at me like I was her savior. Which I guess I was in this case.

"Finally. I was beginning to think that the Brotherhood sent a girl to kill me. How awful would that have been? Such a disgrace to kill a woman, don't you think?" He didn't give me time to answer, he just kept talking. "Well, what would you know? You are an assassin after all. Now I can finish you off like I meant to do years ago." He pulled a sword off the wall and ran at me. I jumped to the side and kicked him in the back. Now that I was beside Rivien, I reached out and used a spell on her. She jumped to her feet.

"Thanks Lucien." She said. I flashed her a quick grin. Now the tyrant was standing and glaring at us.

"Maybe I should just kill her first and watch you suffer. That sounds like a plan." If you can catch her, I thought. I'd seen Rivien move and sometimes it seemed like she was an Elf rather than an Imperial. He slashed at me and I jumped to the side to avoid getting hit with his sword. He was just flailing it around like an idiot. Rivien dodged _under_ the blade, much to my amazement, then came up on his side. He was completely unprepared for this move and she easily got her dagger between two of his ribs. Before he had time to recover from his injury, I slit his throat. He didn't die immediately since he was trying to heal it. When he finally did die, it was with his eyes open and staring at the two people that had finally finished him off.

**Rivien's POV**

I stared at the man for a few seconds. Then I sheathed my dagger and turned away.

"Come on Lucien, let's get out of here." I said. I heard him following me silently. We cast our invisibility spells and crept out of the castle. The two dead guards had finally been discovered and an alarm was being raised. I let Lucien in front of me and we ran across the courtyard. The gate had been shut all the way now so the way I had originally gotten in was no longer an option. Lucien dashed up the stairs, I was right behind him. He swung a leg over the wall and dropped. I didn't hear a sound when he landed. How did he do that? I put a leg over and looked down at the ground. It looked so far away...

"Rivien, I'll catch you. Drop down." I heard Lucien's whisper from the darkness. I decided to trust him and I let myself drop. He caught me easily and set me down on my feet. "Come on, let's get back to Shadowmere and get out of here. There are sure to be patrols running through the woods."

"Joy." I muttered under my breath. Lucien grabbed my hand and drug me along behind him. I jerked my hand away when I got my balance. I was almost as fast as he was, easily keeping pace with him. Shadowmere was waiting exactly where we'd left her, unaware of our mad dash through the woods. Lucien pushed me up on her, mounted himself, then snapped the reigns. She galloped onto the road at full speed, not bothering to watch for obstacles. She just jumped over them.

"Alright Shadowmere, we're heading back to Cheydinhall."

"Why are we going to Cheydinhall again?" He glanced back at me.

"We don't have any more contracts at the moment. They seem to be slowing down a bit." I nodded. That sounded good to me. I was beginning to get a little worn out.

"So, are you going to be staying at the sanctuary?" He shook his head.

"I hate the sanctuary. People annoy me." I laughed. "What? It's true."

"So I take it you're going to be staying at your fort?"

"Yeah. At least I have peace and quiet there. It's my personal sanctuary. My guards keep everyone out." I thought about that for a minute.

"One day you said I should stop by sometime. Is that still an open invitation?"

"Of course. You are the one Brotherhood member I don't mind being around on a daily basis." I smiled to myself.

"What about your guards?" He turned around and looked at me.

"Don't worry. I'll leave you a note that tells you the secret to getting in my fort."

"Won't someone open it?" He laughed.

"Nobody would _dare_ open a letter that I send to the sanctuary. The last one that tried got a nice little sting."

"Hmm." That sounded painful. I doubted it was a _little_ sting. Probably lost an arm. I looked up at the sky. The moon had just reached its highest point and the stars were twinkling. I smiled to myself. I loved the night. After about an hour, I yawned and laid my head on Lucien's shoulder. Soon, I was sleeping.


	13. Chapter 13

_3 months later…_

The next three months weren't really that interesting. Contracts slowed down and life went on like normal. If you could call the sanctuary normal. We were our own little dysfunctional family. Lucien came and visited me a few times, but was typically away doing whatever it was that he did. I awoke one morning and found a note sitting on the trunk beside my bed. I dressed and pulled my hair up then picked up the letter. It was addressed to me and was from Lucien.

I opened the envelope and unfolded the paper. I smiled when I read it. He was home and wanted me to come and visit him. I put the letter in the trunk and hooked my short sword on me waist. He lived outside the city in a fort so there was no telling what was hiding in the woods around it. I left the sanctuary and walked through the streets of Cheydinhall. Not many people were out this early in the morning, most were smart and still in the bed. I walked out the gate and into the woods. There was a trail leading up a hill and I decided to follow it. I had an idea where this fort was. I walked through the sun dappled trees, amazed at the vibrant greens on the trees.

I took my time going up the hill; it was going to be a very nice day. At the top of the hill, I found the fort. It wasn't in the best condition. I looked for the giant hollow tree that Lucien had mentioned in the letter. I really didn't feel like fighting his 'guards'. I didn't know what his definition of a guard was. I walked around the side of the fort and found the tree. I hopped inside and found a little trap door. I pulled it open, and climbed down the rope ladder into the pitch blackness below me. I closed my eyes, scared that a step would be missing and I would fall to my death since I didn't know how long of a fall was below me. It didn't take long and soon I felt the ground under my foot.

I stepped down and opened my eyes. At first glance, the large room seemed dark, but as my eyes adjusted, I saw that there were candles spread out around the room. I was near a bookcase and there was an alchemy table against the wall to my left. Along with a large stone coffin. I suppressed a shudder and looked to the right wall. That was where a dresser and bed were. It looked much more welcoming than the other half of the room. Plus, Lucien was asleep in the bed. I smiled and quietly walked over to him. He looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake him.

"What, are you just going to stand there staring?" I jumped back a few feet.

"You're awake?!" He chuckled and opened his eyes.

"I am. Why were you just staring at me? Didn't you think about waking me up?" I blushed and was glad that the room was dim.

"I did. You just looked like you were sleeping good. I didn't want to disturb you." Lucien sat up and stretched. I averted my eyes. He was shirtless. Don't stare, don't stare, I reminded myself. I chanted it in my head.

"What are you staring at now?"

"Nothing really. What's up with the coffin?" I asked the question to change the subject. I really wasn't interested, it was just the first thing that popped into my head. He shrugged.

"It was already in the room and it's made into the floor. I couldn't move it without damaging the floor. I didn't really feel like tearing up the only room that's in living condition."

"That sounds reasonable I guess." I thought of something. "What do you use it for?"

"I keep things in it. Alchemy supplies mostly. I figured that if it was going to have to be in here, it might as well be useful." I walked over to the alchemy table. I heard him open a drawer behind me. I glanced back and saw him pulling a loosed white shirt over his head. Thank Sithis. I really didn't want to have to avert my eyes the whole time I was here.

"So, you make poisons?" He came up beside me.

"Yeah, mostly. When I'm on a contract, they are very helpful. Especially the paralysis poisons. It's really easy when you're prey is lying helpless on the ground." I picked up some of the plants then set them back down.

"So what did you need me here for? Do you have another contract?"

"No. I just needed the company. It gets lonely here sometimes." Lucien lonely? He was a speaker for the Dark Brotherhood. Wasn't that a lonely job? I turned towards him.

"You know that I'll visit you whenever you want me to. Just say the word." He smiled slightly. Then, unexpectedly, he stepped towards me and put his hands on my arms. "Lucien—"

"Shh. Don't say a word Rivien." Lucien moved his face towards me and lightly pressed his lips to mine. I stood there shocked for a moment. He pulled away slowly. I stared at him dumbstruck.

"Lucien…" He smiled.

"You don't know how long I've waited for this moment." I looked down and blushed—again. I was such an idiot sometimes!

"But you're a speaker. Isn't this…wrong?"

"Rivien, there's nothing wrong about it."

"But it would seem like I was grappling for a position. I'm the newest member in the Cheydinhall sanctuary!" The temper that I was becoming familiar flickered in his eyes.

"Rivien, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Tell me you don't feel the same as me." I looked away and he roughly grabbed my chin and pulled my face around to look at him. "Tell me!" I jerked my head away.

"Lucien, this isn't the right moment." I broke away from the grip that he had on my arms and climbed up the ladder. I took off at a run through the woods and went back to Cheydinhall.

**Lucien's POV**

I walked over to my bed and sat down with my head in my hands. I could've sworn that Rivien felt the same way as me! I'd caught her staring many a time. Plus, why else would she watch me as I was asleep? I was so stupid! I had acted on impulse when I'd kissed her but she hadn't objected. She even had a glazed look in her eyes when I pulled away. Then she wanted to say that people would think she was jockeying for a position! The nerve! What was wrong with being attracted to another person? I sighed. I'd really screwed up this time and I was going to have to fix it quickly before it could get any worse.

**Rivien's POV**

I occupied my mind in the training room for the rest of the day. I didn't want to think about my trip to Lucien's fort. Not at all. I practiced dagger fighting, hand to hand fighting, and even a little magic. To say the least, I was exhausted when I fell into bed later than day. I continued on exhausting myself, always keeping my mind busy, for the next few days. Not once did I hear from Lucien. It made me a little sad honestly. I didn't allow myself a lot of time to dwell on it but there were always those few moments before I fell asleep that my thoughts drifted to him. It was sad that our friendship had all but ended since he kissed me. One big question in my mind was why. Why did Lucien kiss me? I wasn't that attractive, in my opinion, and I didn't think that he felt like that. He seemed to treat me like I was his kid sister. He was only a few years older than me. But now, that relationship had changed and it seemed like I was the one that screwed it up. If I hadn't have run away like I did! My feelings were so conflicting at the moment I didn't know what to think. One day after running some errands, I went into the sanctuary to find Lucien standing in the main room. Ocheeva walked away and I saw the few members that were here go somewhere else. Lucien crossed the room and stood in front of me.

"Hello Rivien."

"Hey." I mumbled.

"How are you doing today?" I managed a small smile.

"Just fine. You?"

"Same." We fell into an awkward silence. I was the one that managed to break it.

"So why are you here?" He sighed.

"I came to apologize. I shouldn't have kissed you like I did. It was uncalled for. I don't want to destroy our friendship just because I couldn't control myself for just a moment." My eyes widened. Lucien was apologizing! This moment should be documented in history!

"Thanks." My voice was small. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Do you want to take a walk with me?" I paled a bit. Surely he wasn't going to make another move! He gave an angry sigh. "I promise that I won't do anything Rivien. You can trust me."

"I know. Where are we going?"

"Somewhere. Are you coming?" I nodded.

"Sure. Why not?" He led the way out of the sanctuary and into the Cheydinhall streets. I was surprised when he took the main gate out of the city. We weren't going out the back way that led to his fort. I didn't say anything, I just followed. It took about an hour of walking down the road, but Lucien finally stopped.

"Alright. We're almost there. We are going to have to do a bit of climbing. I hope you don't mind heights."

"Not anymore. I climbed the Skingrad Castle, remember?"

"So you did." He led me off the road and to a rocky hill. We struggled up the steeper parts and he had to catch me once. Once he'd assured I'd had my balance, he let go like I was a piece of hot iron. I gave a silent, mental sigh. Our relationship was really messed up.

"Alright Rivien, close your eyes." He caught my expression and laughed. "Don't worry. I won't let you fall. Grab my hand." I closed my eyes and did as he said. He led me over a few more rocks and I felt a couple of trees brush by. After a minute, he turned me slightly and released my hand. "Don't take a step forward." He cautioned. I opened my eyes and gasped.

"It's beautiful…" I whispered. We were standing on top of a series of waterfalls. The sun was setting turned the water into molten gold and there were flowers blooming all around the multiple ponds that the falls fell into. The view was just so breathtaking that I just stood there in silence for a few minutes. "Lucien, how did you find this spot?"

"I love the outdoors. I just happened across it one day and I frequently come here now. It's relaxing isn't it?" I smiled.

"Very." He stepped up beside me. Suddenly, he took a deep breath.

"Rivien tell me something. And I want complete honesty." I turned to stare at him. "Why did you run away when I kissed you?" I didn't say anything. "Rivien, tell me. I need to know." I caught the key word in that sentence. He needed to know? I sighed.

"It's complicated and I'm not even sure myself." I sat down on a rock and dangled my feet off the edge. Lucien sat beside me, not quite touching me.

"I'm sure I can figure it out."

"I doubt that. It seems like there's multiple reasons."

"Give me the easiest to follow."

"You already know it." I pointed out.

"The position thing again." He growled. I nodded.

"It makes sense. Admit it."

"I guess it depends on who you're talking to." He admitted. "Now, tell me another one." I shook my head.

"I don't really want to talk about it anymore." He turned me to face him.

"Rivien, please? I want to have this figured out as much as you do." I blushed and looked down. His voice was so soft, pleading even. He was begging. I was seeing a side of him I doubt anyone on the planet had seen before.

"Lucien, I'm not sure about how I feel about you!" There I'd said it. His eyes widened in response. "One minute you treat me like I'm your little sister, and the next it's like you're, well not in love but close. So which is it?" He smiled at my little rant. I wasn't prepared to explode like that.

"Rivien," He said my name slowly. "I'm the one who kissed you. What do you think?" I blushed again. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. It was getting on my nerves.

"Oh." Was my genius response. So, Lucien Lechance, Speaker for the Dark Brotherhood liked me? It was a hard concept to wrap my mind around.

"You're awfully quiet all of the sudden. I didn't say something wrong did I?"

"No. I just figured something out." All the mixed signals were his confusion too. He was just as muddled as I was, and he was just now figuring it all out, same as I was. So that meant that my budding affections weren't a waste of time! I'd found someone that I connected to.

"Can I ask what?"

"Hmm?" I'd been lost in my own thoughts.

"What did you just figure out?"

"That you were just as confused as I was." He chuckled quietly.

"I wouldn't say that." I looked out at the sunset. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Rivien, you look beautiful in the sunset." I jumped.

"What? Where did that come from?" Lucien smiled at me.

"I'm just stating a fact." I smiled to myself. He was the first person to call me beautiful and mean it. I was sad that he'd promised that he wouldn't do anything now. Which that didn't stop _me _from kissing _him._ I was actually a little nervous. Lucien turned his head to look at me.

"Something wrong? You look like you're in pain." It's now or never, I thought to myself. But what if this drove us apart again?

"To hell with it." I growled to myself.

"What—" I cut him off by pressing my mouth to his. He responded immediately, much to my surprise. I'd figured he'd push me away. I was wrong. He most definitely didn't push me away. He kissed me with more force than I thought he was capable of but I held my own. He broke the kiss after a minute.

"Rivien," His voice was low.

"Hmm?" I sounded dazed and confused.

"What was that?" I shook my head.

"I don't know." I gave a small shrug. "I just did it." He shook his head.

"You amaze me." I smiled at him.

"I try." He put his arms around me and we watched the sunset. When the moon was high in the sky, he walked me back to the sanctuary. At the well, he kissed me goodnight and left. I went on down and climbed into my bed. I saw a few people eying me but I ignored them. I knew they were curious but they needed to but the hell out. I closed my eyes but I couldn't sleep. I let my thoughts drift over today's events for awhile. Without really trying, I drifted into a deep sleep.

*****

Hey everyone! Originally when I posted this chapter, it ended where Lucien was still in his fort but I really didn't need two chapters that were basically about one concept. Now that they've realized their feelings for each other, I figure that I can move on with the story. I can assure you this though: The end will be a surprise to you all.

XO,

Eldest123323


	14. Chapter 14

**Rivien's POV**

"Rivien! Get up!" Someone pushed me out of the bed. I fell on the floor, then jumped to my feet with a dagger in my hand. Ocheeva backed away.

"Rivien, we need you to get rid of a high priority target. This is one of the few missions that you will have a time limit on." I sheathed my dagger and began dressing. I'd already gotten over the need for privacy.

"Who is it and where do I need to go?"

"It is an Argonian in Leyawin. He stole from the Countess and is now fleeing for his life."

"I don't see what that has to do with us."

"We've been searching for this particular thief for months. He's killed three of our assassins. Now that we have him, I'm sending one of my top assassins after him. Don't fail me Rivien." She left the room. I finished getting ready and left the sanctuary. Everyone that was there nodded or said good bye and good luck. I climbed the ladder as fast as I could then jumped out onto the grass. I spotted a note on the ground. I picked it up and read it on my way out of the city. Lucien was letting me borrow Shadowmere.

He obviously knew about this mission. I found Shadowmere waiting for me in the stable. Lucien already had her saddled for me so I just jumped on and had her jump the fence; who cared about opening the gate? I urged her into a full gallop and soon we were flying through the night. The trees looked like a dark wall on both sides. Within minutes, we were passing Lucien's waterfalls. I smiled at the memory. I let my thoughts drift as I rode down the road. I really didn't even have to direct Shadowmere; she already knew where to go. By dawn, Bravil was coming into view. I didn't stop, I just let Shadowmere go around and keep on her course to Leyawin. We rode through the swamp at a breakneck pace, people were jumping out of our way to avoid getting trampled.

They would've died if they'd been caught under Shadowmere's hooves. About an hour before noon, we arrived at Leyawin. I left Shadowmere in a copse of trees and I went into the city. The guards were on high alert, questioning every Argonian in sight. The Kajiit's seemed to be enjoying the events. Most of them hated Argonians and they wanted them dead or at least kicked out of the city. One thing that the guards didn't know was that the beggars of the town were the best sources of information that you could find.

Since most people didn't pay them any attention, they just spoke of whatever around them. Beggars picked up everything and told you what you needed to know…for a price. Well, they had to eat too. I found one and stopped him. It was a male Argonian, and he was a ruddy orange and brown mix. Not very attractive, even for an Argonian.

"What do you need?" He asked.

"I need to know where the Argonian that stole from the Countess is at."

"Hmm…I might be able to tell you. For a price that is."

"Does twenty gold sound good to you?" His eyes brightened as I handed him the money.

"He left the city and went to a small house a few miles away. He is waiting on a ship that will take him out of the country." I cursed under my breath.

"When does the ship get here?"

"I think this evening. Maybe sooner, maybe later." I cursed again. This was horrible and I rushed all the way down here! I thanked the beggar and ran out of the city gate. Some of the guards started to follow me but thought better of it when they saw the expression on my face. I found Shadowmere and hopped on her back. Then I followed the road until I found the house that the beggar told me about. I jumped off of the horse, pulled my hood up, and ran inside the house. I heard a door slam and I ran through the house. There was a back door.

"Shit!" I opened the door and ran through the door. I could see the footprints in the mud and I followed them through the tall weeds. I could see the Argonian ahead of me. He jumped into the water just as I cast a spell that would immobilize him. Stupid Lizard! I didn't have a chance of catching an Argonian in the water. Only an Argonian would be able to keep up with him. I jumped into the water anyway. After casting a few spells that would allow me to see in this muddy water and let me breathe under water.

I was a decent swimmer so I followed the trail that he was leaving. He wasn't trying to hide where he was going. It was obvious that he knew what I was. I could see that he left the water and I jumped out of the river and onto the bank. I found the Argonian collapsed against a tree. He had a dagger wound in his side. That explained the trail in the water. He couldn't keep a straight path.

"Please. Spare me." He gasped. I just drew my dagger. His eyes widened. "Please! I didn't do anything wrong! I just did what I was told to!" I stopped. My hood was up so he couldn't see my face. What would it hurt if I got some information from him first?

"Who told you?"

"A man in a black robe!" I stared at him. A black robe?

"What kind of black robe? How dark?" I'd seen two robes. One that some of the necromancers wore and there were the ones that the speakers of the dark brotherhood wore.

"As black as night! It was big and covered his face! I don't know who he was." I felt my face pale. It seemed like one of the speakers was involved with the deaths of some of the assassins of the brotherhood.

"I'm finished with you." I growled. He struggled to say something but I slit his throat before he could speak. I cleaned my dagger then made my way back to Shadowmere. I found her a few minutes later and climbed on. I allowed her to set the pace and I was lost in my thoughts. I was deeply troubled at the information that I'd uncovered. So, someone in a higher position in the brotherhood was getting rid of assassins. I didn't know enough about the higher-ups to really suspect a certain person but I was going to have to tell Lucien. He needed to know. I sighed. This sounded like it was going to turn into a disaster.

******

Since I took my time getting back to Cheydinhall, it took the two of us about a day and a half to reach the city. I'd stopped in the Imperial City to sleep since I'd gotten used to a bed. I really didn't want to sleep on the cold, hard ground. I rose early, just before sunrise, and got an early start. Shadowmere and I ended up in Cheydinhall around ten in the morning. I left Shadowmere where Lucien had left her for me and I went into the city.

First things first, I needed to report to Ocheeva and let her know that the task was finished. I climbed into the well and dropped down to the ground. The Argonian was pacing around the main room, waiting for me. She raised her head as I walked in, then strode over to me.

"Did you get him? Is he dead?" She sounded anxious.

"I got him. He's dead. It was rather…interesting. Is Lucien here?"

"Lechance? No he's not. Why?"

"I just need to speak to him. It's rather urgent." She didn't say anything.

"I thank you so much for taking that contract. The others were killed in the process. How did you dispose of him so easily?"

"He was already wounded. Someone had stabbed him in the ribs."

"Really? Well, I am so glad that he's been disposed of." I nodded and walked back to the ladder. I climbed up swiftly and ran out of the back gate. It was another beautiful day but I didn't pay the forest any attention as I ran up the path that led to Lucien's fort. I found the hollow tree and climbed down the trap door. I got about halfway down the ladder then jumped to the ground. Lucien was sitting at his alchemy table and he had a dagger at my throat before I could say anything. I'd forgotten that my hood was still on. I never changed clothes.

"How did you find me?" He hissed.

"Lucien move! Let me take my hood off!" He quickly moved the dagger away.

"Rivien?" I pulled my hood off.

"Who else? God's you're an idiot." He chuckled.

"So what do you need? Did you finish your contract?"

"Yeah. That's what I'm coming here to talk to you about. I found out some things." He looked at me sharply.

"What kinds of things?" I told him all the information that I'd gathered from the Argonian. Lucien backed away and sat down.

"So you see, there's a traitor somewhere in the Brotherhood." Lucien sighed.

"That idea was thrown around but it was quickly dismissed. The listener seemed to believe that we were just recruiting unworthy assassins. He said that Sithis deemed them unfit for the Dark Brotherhood. I told him that that was a stupid idea but he ignored me."

"I think that the listener sounds like an idiot." I muttered.

"I wouldn't ever repeat that. You can be killed for treason."

"And yet someone in the brotherhood is killing their brothers and sisters without a second thought. How many members have died?"

"In the past two years…six. Normally we have less than two deaths a year."

"That's not too terrible."

"But it's not right! I can understand one or two messing up in a mission but not six! We make sure that our assassins are well suited for the missions that they are given."

"So some get more advanced missions than others?"  
"Right. Take you for example. Your first few missions were easy, right?"

"They weren't too bad."

"But now they get a bit more complicated. People know that you can be counted on to get rid of your marks quickly and efficiently."

"People are watching me?"

"Sithis tells the listener things." Was his reply.

"I thought that the listener didn't like me."

"It's a long story."

"Whatever. But what are you going to do about the traitor?"

"All that I can do is gather more information and watch the other brotherhood members. Now the Argonian said that he was always wearing a black robe?"

"Yeah. The only members who wear robes that dark are in the black hand." He gave an angry sigh.

"I know. I just don't know what to do!" He suddenly shouted. I jumped and backed away. He was holding the bridge of his nose between two fingers and shaking his head. "I can't think of any of the black hand that would betray the brotherhood. I am the newest member of the black hand so I haven't had a lot of time to observe the others or their habits. Maybe that's what I'll do…" He mused.

"What?"

"I'll just observe their habits and watch what they say. I run into the other members of the Black Hand often enough. I actually had a conversation with Arquen the other day in Bruma."

"Do you think it's her?"

"Arquen? No. You haven't met her. She is extremely…dedicated to the brotherhood. She enjoys inflicting unnecessary pain on her victims. She's rumored to eat their body parts…"

"Disgusting!"

"You have no idea. But as long as the deed is done, nobody really says anything."

"Still, it's disgusting. Why would you turn into a cannibal?" He shrugged.

"I guess it's just the way she is." I let the subject drop. It seemed that Lucien took what I'd said about a traitor seriously at least. Maybe he would find who it was before someone else died. "So Rivien, what do you plan on doing now? Are you going back to the Sanctuary?"

"I don't know. I really just want to sleep but I don't feel like talking to the other members at the moment. They keep trying to ask me questions."

"About what?"

"Nothing really." I looked at the ceiling. "Nothing that is really their business anyway." I tacked on as an afterthought.

"Sounds like someone doesn't like people that much."

"Never have. If I had another option, I would stay alone somewhere."

"You sound just like me." I shrugged.

"We have similar habits. I prefer to be alone whenever I can." He chuckled.

"Why don't you buy yourself a house?"

"They would know where I was. That would defeat the purpose. Don't get me wrong, I like the people in the sanctuary, but they pry. I don't like people asking about every detail about my life!" Lucien raised a hand suddenly.

"Don't say a word." I followed his instructions as he climbed the rope ladder. When he came back down, he wasn't alone.

Hey everyone! I'm trying to make my updates a little longer. I know that most of them are fairly short. Only problem is that this means that it might take a little longer to get each chapter out. I don't mind since I'm really enjoying writing this story and I'm impressed at the number of hits it's got so far. I just want some more reviews so I know what I need to work on! Come on guys, give me some feedback! You can send me a message if you don't want to post a review.

XO,

Eldest123323


	15. Chapter 15

There was a Bosmer in a black robe following him. He jumped off the ladder after Lucien and appraised me.

"So, you are Rivien, yes?"

"I am." He was about the average height for a Bosmer, all of them are fairly short. He had brown hair and green eyes.

"I am Ungolim, the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood." This was the Listener? "I have an offer for you if you are willing to listen." I glanced at Lucien. He just nodded towards Unglolim.

"I'm listening."

"It seems that one of our speakers has passed away. She was killed on a mission by her mark."

"Do you want me to go after her target?"

"No. He's been disposed of. What I'm here to offer you is her position. You seem to be the most outstanding assassin in the Brotherhood currently and I think that you are well suited for the job."

"You want me as a speaker?" I couldn't believe it. The words just didn't sound right.

"I do. Do you accept my offer? I can always find someone else to take the position."

"Take some time to think about it." Lucien murmured from beside me.

"She can't take all day! I have things to do and the Night Mother wants a speaker appointed within the day!" I didn't like Ungolim. I'd just established that. He was an ass.

"Ungolim, I will take the position of there's nobody else." He smiled, if you could call it that.

"Excellent. Here are the robes and Lucien will explain everything to you. I must be going now." He climbed back up the ladder.

"He must not like me that much."

"Did I tell you about what it meant when Sithis marks someone?"

"I don't remember. You might have."

"Well, each time a person is marked, that means that that person is destined to be the next Listener. Our current one is nervous that you will try to kill him instead of waiting for him to resign the position."

"I would never do that!"

"But he doesn't know that. Funny thing though, making you a speaker when you make him so nervous. Maybe it's so he can keep a close watch on your actions."

"I haven't done a thing to him. Today was the first time that I'd ever even seen him."

"Ungolim is just like that. You have to overlook it."

"So, what does being a speaker mean?" He smiled.

"Well, basically you will be getting more advanced contracts than regular members. Also, you will have to watch over the lower ranked members. You give contracts and make sure that they are fulfilled. Things like that. It's not a terrible position. You don't have to interact with people that much either. You'll enjoy it, I promise you." He eyed the robes in my hands. "Let's see how those look on you. The armor looks rather nice but why don't you change?"

"Now?"

"Why not?"

"You're in the room!" He laughed at that.

"I wasn't planning on staying in here Rivien. I'm not that kind of person. I'll go outside for a moment." He climbed up that ladder. I waited until I heard the trap door shut, then I unfolded the robes that Ungolim had handed me. They were the same robes that Lucien wore. I pulled off my armor and slid the robes on. They fit perfectly and were rather comfortable. I pulled on the gloves that I found in the pocket.

"Lucien, you can come in now!" I called up the ladder. I didn't know if he'd heard me or not. I walked over to the bookshelf and pulled one off. It was an alchemy book, no surprise there. I opened it to a page and began reading. The whole book was about how to make poisons of different kinds. The one I was currently reading was about a paralysis poison. I turned the page and felt strong arms encircle my waist. I jumped a bit and dropped the book.

"What, did I startle you?" I turned my head slightly and saw Lucien smiling at me.

"Just a little bit. What are you doing?"

"Nothing really." He let me go and stepped back. "You look rather nice in those robes. They suit you for some reason."

"Do they now?" He looked me up and down.

"That they do." I blushed.

"I guess I need to go back to the sanctuary."

"You know, none of the Black Hand live in a sanctuary. It doesn't seem right. Why don't you come and stay with me for awhile?" My eyes widened and I stared at Lucien.

"You want me to come and stay with you?"

"I wouldn't mind the company. I mean, you can stay in the sanctuary if you want, but I would seriously look at finding a new place. I'm just offering." I shook my head.

"Wouldn't that seem a little weird?"

"What?"

"I mean, there is only one bed!" He laughed.

"Is that what you are worried about? I can easily get another one. I'll tell you what, you go and get your things and I'll have another bed moved in. Along with a dresser and whatever else you may need."

"That's a very generous offer Lucien. I'll take it. It will get me away from everyone else at least."

"Consider it done. I will see you soon." He climbed up the ladder. I looked around the room. He was going to have to put some more light in here, that was for certain. I climbed up the ladder after him and headed to Cheydinhall. I cast an invisibility spell before I went inside the city; I didn't want the guards staring at me. At the well, I climbed down the ladder then released the spell.

"Rivien, is that you?" I heard Ocheeva walking towards me.

"It is. What do you need?"

"I have another…" She trailed off. "Oh. You were promoted?"

"Yeah. One of the speakers…passed away. She died on a mission." Ocheeva shook her head.

"This is getting out of hand. So many members are dying on us. Well, I guess the contract will be given to someone else now. Are you leaving the sanctuary?"

"I am. I will be stopping by occasionally. I promise you won't see the last of me."

"That's fine. Well Rivien, I wish you the best of luck." She walked away. I went into the living quarters and found that all the members in the room were going to stare at me. Antoinetta Marie was the only one that actually spoke to me.

"So, I see that you finally got promoted. All of us were wondering when it was going to happen."

"What do you mean you were wondering when it was going to happen?"

"You are the top assassin here. You haven't failed a single contract that you've been given. You deserved a promotion and we are all glad to see that you got one finally." I knelt down beside my chest.

"Thanks Antoinetta."

"Anytime. Do you need help moving everything?"

"No. I don't have that much to move. I can get everything." She just nodded.

"Well sister, I guess this will be the last time I see you for awhile."

"I promise that I'll stop by and say hey every now and then."

"Thanks. Well, I have a contract I need to do. I'll talk to you later. Bye Rivien."

"Bye Antoinetta." She left the room and I grabbed the last of my things. I placed them in a bag that I kept in the bottom of the chest; everything fit in the bag but a few books. I could easily carry those. I left the living quarters and climbed up the ladder. I cast an invisibility spell before I jumped out then headed out of the city at a jog. I wanted to see if Lucien could get a bed and everything into that room before I got there. I made it out of the city in about five minutes and it took me another ten to get up the path. That means that he would've had a little less than an hour to get everything. I opened the trap door and climbed down the ladder and into the dim room.

"Took you long enough. Could you be any slower?" Lucien was sitting on his bed smiling at me.

"Surely you don't already have everything in here."

"I do. Look in that corner over there." He nodded towards the corner that was diagonal to the one he slept in. It was the one furthest away from his. I didn't mind. I walked over to the corner. There was a bed, dresser, and a chest was at the foot of the bed.

"How did you manage this?" He walked over to stand by my side.

"I'm just talented, what can I say?" I lightly punched him in the arm and laid my things down on the bed. "Do you need help putting all of that up?"

"I don't have that much. I'll be fine." I began putting my clothes into the dresser. "I only have one question."

"Shoot."

"Do you want me to put my books on your shelf? I can assure you, now that I have somewhere to put them, I will be getting a lot more." He chuckled.

"You can share my bookshelf if you'd like. I can always get you one for yourself."

"I'll just use yours. Would you put these over there for me?" He picked the books off of my bed and walked over to the shelf. I put my assortment of weapons and armor into the chest, along with the bag. I was fully unpacked now. This place was already starting to feel like a home to me. Lucien came back over to me.

"Finished?"

"Yep. All done. I told you that I didn't have a lot to unpack."

"So, now what? Since you are a speaker, your contracts come directly from the listener and I don't think that he has any right now." I looked around the room.

"Why don't you get a little more light in here? It's a little dim, don't you think?" He shrugged.

"I like it dim. It helps me relax."

"I guess that works." It sounded reasonable at the least. I sat down on my bed and sighed.

"Tired?"

"You have no idea. I just got back from my last contract this morning."

"I completely forgot about that. Why don't you sleep?" I stifled a yawn.

"It's only five in the afternoon!"

"And your point would be….?"

"Forget it. A nap does sound pretty good right now." He smiled and kissed the top of my head.

"Then sleep. I'll be here when you wake." He walked across the room to his bed. I pulled the covers back and lay down. Fairly quickly, I was sound asleep.

**Lucien's POV**

I watched her as she fell asleep. Rivien seemed so peaceful and relaxed. It made me smile to know that she was happy. I lay back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I wasn't falling asleep anytime soon so I just thought about today's events. I honestly didn't know if she would accept Ungolim's offer to become a speaker but I was glad that she did. It gave her an excuse to leave the sanctuary that she was unhappy in. From what I gathered, she tried to avoid a lot of the members there anyway so I didn't figure leaving would bother her too much. I sighed as I thought about Rivien being a speaker. She had advanced so far in so little time. It personally made me happy. But then it brought up an unavoidable question: What if she did become the listener? Would our relationship change because of her new position? She would be higher up in ranking then I was but I didn't have her pegged as the power-hungry type of person. I doubted that she would even like being the listener, but if that's what Sithis willed, then she was destined to be in that position. I glanced over at Rivien. I could hear her faint, steady breathing as she slept soundly. I wondered if she slept this soundly in the sanctuary. Tomorrow I was going to take her out somewhere. I didn't know where, but maybe we could go back to the waterfalls. She seemed to really enjoy the view. I laid on my bed for awhile lost in my thoughts, and without meaning to, I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**Rivien's POV**

I awoke hours later. I didn't know what time it was but I was fully rested and ready to do something. I was full of energy for some odd reason. I got out of bed and stretched. I brushed my hair quickly and pulled it back, then readjusted the robes I had on. I'd forgotten to take them off when I'd fallen asleep. At least they didn't look too bad. Lucien would probably laugh at me right now. I looked around. Speaking of Lucien, where was he? I glanced over at his bed and saw that he was sound asleep. He was hugging the pillow like it was life support or something. It was a funny sight to behold. I walked across the room and watched him sleep for a minute. Like before, he looked so peaceful and relaxed. Tentatively, I shook his shoulder. He grumbled something that sounded like 'go away' but I wasn't too sure. 

**"**Lucien, wake up! Quit being lazy." I shook his shoulder again. This time he actually opened an eye and looked at me.

"Rivien, is someone supposed to die right now?"

"Not that I know of. Why?"

"Then leave me to my sleep." I sighed as he rolled away from me and faced the wall. I walked over to my chest and withdrew my ebony sword. After hooking it to my belt, I climbed up the ladder and walked in the direction of Cheydinhall. About halfway there, I was stopped by someone.

"Rivien!" They called. I jumped and drew my dagger. I didn't see anyone. I turned and saw another person in a black robe walking towards me. It was a male voice that had called out to me. I kept my sword out and eyed him cautiously.

"And who are you?" He chuckled and pulled his hood back.

"Excuse me for being rude. My name is Mathieu Bellamont."

"And how does that help me?"

"I am another speaker for the Dark Brotherhood. You are wearing the robes, so I assume that you took the offered position, yes?"

"I did." I said a little uncertainly. What did he want from me?

"And I see that you've moved in with Lucien. Comfortable?" I stiffened.

"That's overstepping the line and you know it. Now Mathieu, you need to leave." He laughed, a cruel, evil laugh. It sent chills down my spine.

"Are you threatening me little Rivien? I've been a member longer than you, remember that. I can easily put in a few bad words about you and have you…permanently removed from your position." My eyes widened and I felt my face pale. Now he was threatening me!

"Mathieu! What do you think you are doing?!" I fought back a sigh of relief. That was Lucien's voice that yelled through the trees. He must've gotten up after I left.

"Hello Lucien." He said with a sneer. These two didn't get along. "And what can I help you with this lovely evening."

"I believe that Rivien asked you to leave. You should respect a ladies wish."

"A lady?" He shook his head. "Whatever you say Lucien. Well it was nice to meet you Rivien." He said my name like it was foul. I kept my sword out even after he left. I didn't trust him. He reminded me of a snake. Lucien put his hand on the small of my back.

"Come on Rivien. Just ignore Mathieu. He's always causing problems."

"Did you hear what he said to me? He said that he could have me permanently removed from the brotherhood!" Lucien stiffened.

"He said what?" He hissed. Lucien sounded positively furious. The hand that was on my back balled into a fist. Yeah, he was mad. "Oh how I'd love to…" He trailed off. I knew only too well what he wanted to do. And it probably involved Bellamont losing a limb or two. "Come on Rivien. Let's go back. What were you doing out here anyway?" He sounded like he was trying to calm down. Trying being the key word.

"I couldn't wake you up so I came out to get some fresh air. Just walk around and see what I could find."

"It's late at night. All kinds of creeps could be wandering around out here."

"It would appear that I've already ran into one. Lucien, I'm an assassin. I can easily take care of myself." He sighed and grabbed my hand.

"I never said that you couldn't take care of yourself. It just makes me nervous when you are running around by yourself." He began walking back towards the fort. I let him take me with him.

"And why would that be?" He didn't answer until we were at the trap door entrance.

"Rivien, you are a very attractive person. I know that I'm not the only one that thinks that. Do you know the kinds of people that wander at night? One of them would love to get a hold of you." I laughed.

"You sound just like my father!" I kept laughing and his face reddened ever so slightly.

"Thanks Rivien. I don't know if that's a compliment or not." I kept laughing. He let go of my hand and climbed down the ladder. I followed him. My foot slipped about halfway down.

"Ah!"

"Nice job Rivien." Lucien had caught me. I chuckled and he put me down. "Only you could fall down that ladder."

"That means I'm unique." I walked over to the bookshelf and pulled one of Lucien's alchemy books off of the shelf. "You should show me how to make some of these."

"We don't have anything else to do. I can show you right now." We walked over to the alchemy table and he began coaching me in the art of making poisons. We spent the rest of the night at the alchemy table laughing and having a great time. I knew that it couldn't last forever though. Something was bound to happen.


	16. Chapter 16

_**One month later…**_

"Rivien, the listener has given us a contract!" I glanced up from the book I was reading as Lucien came running over to me.

"What is it?"

"There are actually three different marks and they are in three different cities. They run an assassin business actually, and Sithis wants them disposed of. The lower members have already been taken care of." I sighed. People could really be that stupid couldn't they?

"What cities?"

"Anvil, Leyawin, and Bruma."

"Figures that they have to be all over the country." I muttered. "Are we working together on this contract?" Lucien shrugged.

"It's up to you. I don't have all the details but I figure that we'll need to watch them and see what their habits are first. It might take awhile to get all three of them killed."

"You know that I want you to work with me." He smiled and kissed me quickly.

"Of course. When do you want to leave?"

"I can get ready now and we can get going." Lucien nodded.

"That sounds good to me. I'll leave you to it." He climbed up the ladder. I pulled out my robes and pulled them on. Then I belted on my dagger and sword. I pulled my hair back (I really needed to cut it soon) and climbed up the ladder after Lucien. He was waiting with Shadowmere beside the tree. "Ready already?" I smiled.

"Yeah. I don't take that long to get ready." I mounted Shadowmere and Lucien mounted after me. He turned Shadowmere towards the road.

"So, what city do you want to hit first?"

"I say Bruma. Then Anvil and Leyawin. Make a circuit."

"Sounds like a plan. You never did like Bruma did you?"

"I hate the cold. I want to go ahead and get it out of the way first. I don't want to have to dread going there for awhile." He chuckled.

"That sounds reasonable."

"Of course it does. I'm the one that said it." He turned around and gave me an exasperated look.

"You're ridiculous Rivien, you know that?" I shrugged.

"Doesn't bother me any. Alright Shadowmere, take us to Bruma!" I called since Lucien didn't seem to want to at the moment. She took off at lightning speed through the darkness.

"So Rivien, are you enjoying being a speaker?"

"It's boring. All you do is sit on your butt most of the day. At least when I was part of the sanctuary I had something to do most of the day. This is the first contract that I've gotten since I've become a speaker." Lucien laughed.

"Like I said, the contracts that you _do_ get are typically challenging. Take this one for example. We have three targets spread across the country to get rid of."

"It sounds like it's going to be a pain in the ass too." I muttered to myself. I looked up at the sky. It was around midnight and both of the moons were full. It was a beautiful sight.

"What are you staring at?" Lucien asked quietly.

"Just the sky. Isn't it beautiful?" He stroked my cheek.

"I wouldn't call it beautiful with you sitting right here." I blushed.

"Lucien, shut up."

"Why?"

"Just shut up." He sighed.

"Fine Rivien. You'll have to face the fact sooner or later." I didn't keep the conversation going. We didn't speak that much on the way to Bruma. He held my hand most of the time and he made soothing circles on the top of my hand with his thumb, but that was about it. The road up to Bruma was calm so Shadowmere didn't even have to stop. Bruma came into sight around dawn.

"Alright Shadowmere, slow down to a trot." Lucien murmured to the mare. She obliged almost instantaneously. Lucien led her to a small thicket and we dismounted.

"Lucien, before we get into Bruma, I need to know exactly who we are looking for."

"The target in Bruma is a Dunmer. He's about average height and weight, and he generally keeps his hair in a que. There aren't a lot of Dunmer in Bruma so he shouldn't be that hard to find. He typically hangs around the tavern." I nodded.

"So, do we gather information and meet up at sunset?"

"Sounds like a good plan to me. I take it you are good at gathering information?"

"I'm much better at that then trailing people. I tend to make a little noise at the wrong moments."

"Then I'll trail the elf and you gather what information you can. We'll meet at the stables outside the gate."

"Alright. I'll see you then Lucien." He caught my hand before I ran off. I gave him a questioning look and he smiled. Then he kissed me quickly and told me to be careful. I smiled and cast my invisibility spell. I needed to change into some common clothes before I went around asking questions about this man. I snuck into the city and into a shop.

When the shopkeeper wasn't looking, I grabbed a few of the garments that were on display and I changed. I went back outside the city and put my robe in Shadowmere's saddle bags. Maybe now that I've wasted enough time, I can get started on my mission, I thought. I released my spell and walked into the city like a normal person. The guards gave me friendly hello's and nods as I walked into the city. I smiled in return but didn't say anything back to them. I found a beggar as soon as I walked into the city.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked her kindly.

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

"I need some….information." Her eyes were instantly alert.

"Really? I might be able to give some up…for a price that is." I sighed.

"How does ten gold sound to you?" She smiled a nearly toothless smile.

"What do you need to know?" She asked when I gave her the money.

"I need to know about a Dunmer who tends to hang around the tavern. He's about average in height and weight and wears his hair in a que. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

"Oh. That one. He's always causing problems. I'm surprised that the Brotherhood hasn't picked him off yet. He's rowdy that one. Always getting caught stealin' and the like. Every time he gets thrown in the prison, someone pays his bail though."

"Do you know who?" She shook her head.

"Where does the Dunmer live?"

"That is a mystery. He tends to bounce around a bit."

"I thank you. Here's some extra gold for your time."

"Anytime dearie." I walked away from her and began walking around the city. Most of the beggars told me the same thing. I was surprised at how openly they talked about the Brotherhood. Any other citizen would shy away at the mention of the name. Most of the beggars think that this man should be murdered and murdered quick. Was he that bad?

One of the beggars told me something that I found very interesting. He said that the Dunmer had been arrested for murder multiple times but was bailed out every time. There were reports that he was seen with a man in a dark black robe later that night. Nobody saw the man's face because the hood was up but the beggar told me that he sent chills down his spine just by seeing the man. That didn't sound good. Was the traitor involved in this too? It made me a bit nervous to be honest. When it was close to sunset, I left the city.

I found Shadowmere and cast my invisibility spell again. I changed back into my robe and went to the stable. It was there that I waited. I was still invisible so I hopped up on the fence and cast a detect life spell. I figured that Lucien would be invisible when he came out of the city. I was right. About ten minutes later, he walked out of the gate and over to where I was sitting. He grabbed my arm and led me away from everyone. When he was sure that we were out of sight, he released his spell. I did the same.

"What did you find?" He asked.

"Just some general information. It seems that the beggars want the Brotherhood to kill him quickly. Almost every one of them mentioned it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The beggars aren't scared to mention the Brotherhood for some reason. Anyway, I was told that every time he is thrown in jail for thievery or murder, someone bails him out. One beggar told me that he caught the Dunmer talking to a man in a black robe with the hood pulled up. He was too scared to stay and hear what they were saying but it would appear that the traitor is involved in this whole mess somehow." Lucien cursed.

"Figures. It seems that he's involved in everything."

"So Lucien, what did you find?"

"Nothing really. He does hang around the tavern most of the day. I did follow him outside the city once. He's staying at a farm to the west of the city. I think that is where he's going to be tonight. If we wait until he comes home, I think that we'll be able to get rid of him fairly quickly."

"Great. Show me this farm."

"Now? Do you not want to get something to eat first?"

"He lives on a farm. We can just grab something from his garden." He laughed.

"I didn't say that the farm was well taken care of. He doesn't have any crops around his house. None at all."

"He must suck as a farmer."

"If you don't want to eat, then I guess that we can go and stake out his farm house. Sound good?"

"Fine with me. I'm not that hungry anyway." He grabbed my hand and we both used our invisibility spells. He pulled me along behind him as he led me to the farm house. This dunmer really needed lessons in farming. All of the crops that were planted around his house were wilted, even I could tell that they needed some serious upkeep and I grew up in a city! We sat on the fence while we waited on the elf to return. Neither of us spoke much while we waited. After about an hour, the elf came walking up the path that led to his house. He looked around quickly before unlocking the door and slamming it behind him.

"Ready?" Lucien whispered.

"Yeah." I whispered back. We hopped off the fence and I walked over to a window. The Dunmer was preparing something to eat.

"Rivien, he left the door unlocked. Do you want to kill him?" I smiled.

"Sure, why not?" I felt him back away from me and I moved towards the front of the house. I slowly turned the handle and simultaneously drew my dagger. I slipped inside and shut the door behind me. The elf didn't hear a thing. Surprising since their hearing was so much better than most other races. I snuck up behind him and was about to slit his throat, but he suddenly spun around and kicked me in the chest. I released my spell and jumped to my feet.

"What are you doing?" I realized that I still had my hood up. "I thought that we were supposed to be working together!" He thought that I was someone else. I smiled to myself. This was funny for some odd reason. I readjusted my grip on my dagger. His face paled and he began backing away.

"Some assassin." I muttered.

"Wait! You're not—"I jumped towards him and slit his throat before he could finish his sentence. I wiped the dagger off and sheathed it before going back outside to Lucien.

"Well that was…interesting." I laughed.

"It was. He was the first person to know that I was behind them."

"How's your ribs? I know that being kicked didn't feel too good."

"Nothing is broken but I know that I'm going to have some nasty bruises from being kicked and landing on the floor."

"Why don't you heal it?" I shrugged.

"I never really cared to learn restoration spells. I'll get over it. I've had worse." Lucien sighed and we recast our invisibility spells. We ran through the shadows, no more than shadows ourselves, and back to Shadowmere. After we mounted, we released our spells and Lucien nudged her back onto the road.

"I say that we take our time going to Anvil."

"Me too. Why don't we go to Leyawin first? I love Anvil and I want to save it until last." He chuckled.

"Fine with me. We're going to have to detour around the Imperial City though. Do you want to go back towards Cheydinhall or towards Chorrol?"

"Whichever is fastest. Probably back towards Cheydinhall." Lucien told the directions to Shadowmere and told her to take it easy.

"Another quick question."

"How many questions do you have?" I muttered.

"We can stop at Fort Farragut and rest or we can sleep on the ground. Take your pick."

"Let's just keep going. No need for unnecessary stops along the way. It's easier to just sleep on the ground." Lucien grumbled something. "What was that?"I asked.

"I was saying that I'd wished you'd picked the fort. I'd rather sleep on a bed."  
"Don't be a pansy. It won't hurt you to sleep on the ground." I didn't catch the next thing that he said but it sounded like a profanity. I decided to ignore it. We didn't say much for awhile. I glanced up at the sky a few hours later and saw that it was getting steadily lighter. Lucien was half asleep in front of me.

"Hey Lucien, let's stop and rest. I'm exhausted."

"Sure." He said. The word was slurred and I fought back a smile. I called Shadowmere to a halt and we dismounted. There was a small clearing just off of the road and I steered both of them there. I tied Shadowmere to a tree and pulled out our bed supplies. I tossed Lucien his and I began spreading out mine. After we'd both laid down, it was evident that we were going to freeze.

"I'll make a fire." I huffed. We were at the foothills of the mountains. Shadowmere had really taken her time for once. I gathered a few branches and made a small pile out of them. I lit them with magic and sat down beside it for a moment to warm up. Lucien got out of his bedroll and came to sit beside me.

"Cold?"

"What do you think?" He put an arm around me and pulled me close.

"These robes aren't exactly the warmest things we could be wearing. I don't think that they were designed for our personal comfort." I snorted.

"They just need to be able to keep me a bit warmer and I'll be happy."

"I take it that you hate the cold."

"Exactly." I hissed between my teeth. I was _freezing!_

"Don't stab me for this but I think I know a way that will keep both of us warm." When I didn't answer, he continued. "Why don't you move your bedroll beside mine? It will keep us warmer." I glanced at him. He flashed me a smile.

"Whatever Lucien. As long as it keeps me warmer." I walked over to my bedroll and picked it up. Once I'd arranged it beside Lucien's, I laid down. He climbed into his soon after. We were very close to one another. I could feel the body head radiating off of him. I didn't complain. Instead, I moved as close as I could and fell asleep.

* * *

Hey Everyone! I'm almost finished with this story. :) If it goes as planned, there should be two or three more chapters after this one plus the epilogue. I can't believe that I actually finished this story. Most of the time I get about half way finished and I quit for months at a time. I hope that you guys are enjoying it! Let me know what you think!

xo, eldest123323


	17. Chapter 17

**Rivien's POV**

I awoke before Lucien did. He had his arm thrown over top of me and he was snoring lightly. I smiled to myself and slowly moved his arm off of me. He didn't wake up, just muttered something in his sleep and rolled over. I climbed out of my bedroll and walked over to where the fire was supposed to be. I cast a flare spell to light it and I sat down. It was so cold up here…Gods I hated the mountains! I didn't feel like getting up and getting food from Shadowmere's saddle bags so I just sat beside the fire, trying to keep warm. I glanced up at the sky.

It was dusk and steadily getting darker. We'd slept the whole day away. That was just great. Shadowmere was going to have to pick up the pace and get us to Leyawin. I picked up a stick and threw it at Lucien. It hit him in the head, and he tried to leap out of the bedroll. What ended up happening was that he lost his balance and fell over on his face! I began laughing so hard that I started crying.

"What?" He demanded once he was out of the bedroll. I couldn't say anything; I was still laughing. He walked over to me and stared down at my face. "I don't think it was that funny." I heard him mutter. I began to get the laughing under control. I wiped the tears away and smiled up at him.

"Evening. Took you long enough to wake up didn't it?" I asked. He didn't say anything for a minute.

"I don't think that you've been up too long either. And why did you throw a stick at me?" I smiled angelicaly.

"We need to head to Leyawin as soon as we can. I want this mission over and done with."

"Are you sure you just want it done with? I bet you just want to get out of the mountains."

"Bingo." I mumbled to myself. He grinned and put the fire out.

"Come on then. We'll eat on the way." He pulled me to my feet and we walked over to Shadowmere after gathering up our bedrolls. Lucien pulled out some food from the saddlebags and handed some to me. I started munching on it when we'd mounted. Lucien nudged her onto the road again.

"I want to hurry there." I said around a mouthful of food. Lucien nodded and Shadowmere began flying down the road at a blinding speed.

"Why the rush all of the sudden?" Lucien asked when I'd finished my makeshift meal.

"I just want this mission finished so we can go back home. I don't really like Leyawin either so I want to get it out of the way as fast as we can."

"Whats wrong with Leyawin?" I shivered.

"Bugs, diseases, swamps. Want me to keep going?" He chuckled.

"The mighty speaker is scared of a bug." He laughed again.

"Don't be an ass." I muttered. I didn't expect him to hear me over the noise he was making but he obviously did.

"Come on Rivien, don't call me an ass. All I did was laugh." He kept chuckling. I punched him in the arm, then looked up at the sky since looking at the trees was completely out of the question. It was cloudy unfortunately so that didn't entertain me for long.

"Lucien, who are we going after in Leyawin?" I asked after about an hour of silence. We'd just reached the Imperial city. At this rate we would be in Leyawin before dawn.

"This time we are searching for a Kajiit. She has a distinctive scar running from her right eye to the edge of her nose."

"I wonder how she got that scar."

"Rumor has it that she got it while breaking into a house. The High Elf that lived there wasn't too happy about the intruder and he struck her with a lightning bolt. That supposedly happened in Anvil."

"What was the elf's name?" He chuckled.

"Here's the funny part about the whole thing. It was a thirteen year old kid named Eiliat or something. Apparently he was home alone when the Kajiit thought that it would be a smart idea to break into a house inhabited by Altmer." I smiled.

"So now she's in Leyawin. Any idea where she stays?"

"She hangs around the slums most of the time. Like I said, that scar is what makes her different. We should easily be able to find this one. She doesn't try to blend in." I thought for a minute.

"How do you know all this information?"

"We have people placed in every city. The brotherhood hears every rumor that floats around Cyrodiil. Even the most unimportant tidbit of information can benefit us when we are sending our assassins out on contracts."

"I guess that's true." He ruffled my hair.

"Don't worry Rivien. You'll catch on to our methods of information gathering soon. The speakers go to different cities a lot to pick up on things also."

"So, all we have to do is find this Kajiit, track her, kill her, and leave? It sounds way too simple." Lucien sighed.

"It does sound simple for some reason. This mission seems like something that would be given to a lower member to be honest. But, who are we to question the listener? He probably wouldn't listen to us anyway." I chuckled.

"He didn't come across as a friendly person when I met him."

"He doesn't try typically. Why would an assassin be nice?"

"True. We are supposed to be the coldest people on the planet. Why should we be nice to anyone or anything?"

"People just think that because we kill people that we are supposed to act like that. It doesn't mean we have to conform to people's stereotypes." I didn't say anything; neither did he. It was an easy silence now. I could think about the mark I was going after and I could plan. I was just in Leyawin anyway so the layout of the city was fresh in my mind. If she lived in the slums, it wouldn't be that hard to find her. The slums seemed to take up at least half of the city. All I had to do was talk to a few beggars, maybe grease their palms, and I would easily find her.

I thought for a moment. Since I'd killed the last one, maybe I would let Lucien have this target. I'm sure he wanted to get his hands a little dirty too. Within the span of a few hours, Shadowmere covered a lot more ground than I would've expected. We were soon near Leyawin. Lucien hid her behind some trees and we continued the rest of the trip on foot. It was only about half a mile and when we arrived, I was practically bursting with energy. I couldn't wait to get to Anvil! The beach was the first thing I wanted to see when I got there!

"Rivien, get your head out of the clouds! We need to focus now that we're here!" Lucien whispered from my left. We were both invisible now even though we were in common clothes. Neither of us wanted a country wide manhunt to happen if someone happened to be paying close attention.

"Shut up Lucien! I'm thinking about the warm beach. If we can get rid of the Kajiit fast, we'll be in Anvil really soon! A girl can dream!" I heard him exhale a little bit. I figured that he was smiling slightly even though I couldn't see his face.

"Alright, we'll meet back here in a few hours. Then we'll go for the kill. Sound good?"

"Perfect." Once inside the city gates, we split up again. I headed for the wealthy part of town and Lucien went for the slums. Completely against my mental plan but I didn't say anything. I went behind a building to release my spell. Now I could start questioning the beggars. It didn't take me long to find one. They seemed to be everywhere in this city! I asked him a few questions about the whereabouts of our target and he gave me pretty much all the information that I needed. Now what was I supposed to do? I walked around the city invisibly for awhile.

Then without warning, a dagger flew past my left ear. I spun around, dagger unsheathed and in my hand, looking for the person that had tried to murder me. Wasn't that supposed to be MY job?! I quickly found the person that had tried to kill me. It was a short Bosmer in a brown robe. He was running away, obviously scared now that he'd been discovered. If this was one of the renegade assassins, he was a crappy one. Why would you throw a dagger and miss? I ran after him, determined to get rid of him. He'd tried to kill me so I was just returning the favor. At least, that's what I told myself. I trailed him for a ways until he finally tripped in an alley. This couldn't be more perfect.

"Wait! Don't kill me! I was just acting on orders!" I put my dagger to his throat and released the invisibility spell that I'd been using.

"Who's orders?" I demanded.

"I-I don't know! I received a letter telling me to kill you and the man. It said that you'd be here running around invisibly and to keep a watch for the two of you! I didn't know that you were trained assassins! Please don't kill me!" He wailed.

"If you didn't want to die, then you should've had better aim. Or you should've watched who you picked your battles with. This is one that you've definitely lost." Before he could say anything, I slit his throat. Then without a second thought I recast my spell and went outside the city. Lucien was already there and we walked into the woods so that we could talk.

"What did you find out?"I asked once we were out of eyeshot from everyone on the road.

"It seems that she likes to stay in a cave just outside of the city. If we leave now, we should catch her just as she's leaving."

"That's the same thing that I heard. Let's go." I thought for a moment. "Wait, do you know where this cave is?"

"I have an idea. Come on." We went to Shadowmere and changed into our robes (I just slid mine over my clothes) and we began running through the woods. When we were close to the water, Lucien stopped. "There should be an island around here that the cave is on. It's probably hidden." I looked around

"There's an island over there. It's the only one that I see. Think that's it?"

"Possibly. Only one way to find out." There just so happened to be a sand bar that crossed the water to the island so we only had to get our feet wet. That made me think of my last trip to Leyawin. I'd had to chase an Argonian down in the water. It was a lot harder than just walking across a sandbar to a cave. I was beginning to think that this whole assignment was way to simple. Something was up, I just didn't know what yet. Maybe we would find out in Anvil…

"this is it!" Lucien whispered. We cast our spells and crept to the entrance. We didn't have to wait long. The Kajiit came out of the cave entrance and looked around suspiciously. When she'd figured out that nothing was going to grab her, she motioned to someone in the cave. I froze. Who was with her? A necromancer came out of the cave. Why would she be dealing with a necromancer? I didn't really think about it, I just touched Lucien's arm as a signal. I heard the near silent sound of his dagger sliding out of its sheath and then, I felt the rush of air as he leaped towards the Kajiit.

I quickly drew my dagger and threw it at the necromancer. He fell over with a strangled cry. I'd missed my target. It hit him in the arm because he just so happened to turn his body at the right moment. The Kajiit deflected Lucien's blow and drew her own dagger. I focused on the necromancer. He was trying to conjure a zombie and I really didn't feel like contracting a disease. I cast a spell at the necromancer and he stumbled into a tree. That was my moment to get rid of him. I quickly slit his throat but not before he got his own dagger into my arm. I hissed in pain and carelessly released my invisibility spell. The Kajiit leaped at me, trying to kill me since she couldn't see Lucien. I clumsily dodged and a sword suddenly went through her chest.

Lucien released his spell and I could see him standing behind her, his sword buried in her chest with a murderous look on his face. It wasn't that he was enjoying killing her, he looked furious that the Kajiit had attacked me. When he withdrew his blade, the Kajiit slumped forward and fell on the ground. I rolled out of the way so that she wouldn't land on me. The movement made my arm sting and some dirt got into the wound. Gods what had been on that dagger?! Normally, I wouldn't be in this much pain! Lucien cleaned his sword and walked over to me.

"Rivien, are you ok?" He asked. He crouched down beside me.

"I don't know! Check this for me!" I pointed to my arm and he pulled the sleeve of my robe away. I heard his breath hiss between his teeth.

"That's just great. It was a poisoned dagger. Do you want me to heal it?" I glared at him.

"What the hell do you think!?" I screamed at him. It was burning now. The sensation was all over the right side of my body and it was spreading fast! His hand started glowing and he placed it on my arm. The burning slowly began to subside and eventually stopped all together. I sighed in relief and moved my arm to get the stiffness out.

"Thanks Lucien. Sorry I yelled at you." I tacked on as an afterthought.

"I've had a lot worse things yelled at me. It doesn't bother me at all." He offered me a hand and helped me up. "I guess now we go to Anvil. If we have Shadowmere gallop all the way, we should just have to rest for a few hours and we should be there by tomorrow evening."

"Right when the sun is setting. Perfect." I muttered to myself.

"You must really like Anvil." He said as we walked through the trees to Shadowmere.

"If I wasn't in the brotherhood, I'd be living there right now. I love the beach and the climate. It's pretty much warm all year."

"That sounds nice actually. I think that we should take our time." I glared at him. "Fine, fine. We'll get down there as fast as we can."

"That is much more reasonable. I don't want to stay anywhere near this disease infested swamp any longer than we have to."

"Yeah. We might get bit by an insect and die from malaria." I chuckled. That was pretty much true. We walked back to Shadowmere and climbed on. Then without further adue, we set off at a breakneck pace to Anvil.

* * *

Hey everyone! Don't hate me for taking so long to update! I'm really sorry, I was just having a writers block issue. It took all I had just to get this chapter out! I hope it's not too disappointing. Let me know!


	18. Chapter 18

I slept most of the way to Anvil. When I awoke, Lucien took a nap himself. The ride was quiet; we didn't encounter any creatures and only a few guards. Lucien had timed the ride perfectly because we ended up near Anvil right when the sun was setting. I shook Lucien's shoulder.

"What?" He asked, instantly alert. I chuckled to myself.

"Nothing. We're here." He stretched and looked around.

"So we are. I take it that you don't want to start the mission right away?"

"Right you are. I'm going to the beach. I haven't seen it in years, but it's one of the best things about Cyrodiil." We dismounted Shadowmere and put her in the stable.

"Want to take a walk to the beach?"

"Sure." He held out a hand. I grabbed it and we walked down to the beach. Neither of us said anything for awhile. We were just enjoying each other's company. I spotted something on the sand and bent to pick it up.

"Look. A seashell." Lucien took it and looked at it.

"It's the same color as your eyes." I blushed and looked down. "Rivien, look at me." I glanced up and found myself suddenly very busy. Lucien had decided that this would be the perfect time to kiss me for some reason. (I didn't mind a bit!) We stayed like that for a few minutes before he had to break away for air. I knew that my face looked like a cherry because he laughed a bit. I took the seashell from his hand and pocketed it. It would be a memento of my time on the beach. I walked down to the water and let it wash up over my feet. Lucien walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I think that I'm going to start loving the beach now."

"Are you?" I asked sarcastically. He kissed my hair.

"Yep. I get to do this whenever I want because no one is around." He spun me around and kissed me again. I let myself get lost in the moment. Eventually, we stopped. The sun was almost completely set now and stars were beginning to appear. I kicked water at Lucien and ran off.

"Catch me if you can!" I yelled laughing. He chased me down the beach and eventually tackled me. I landed in the water laughing. I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard. Lucien rolled off of me and I splashed him again. We got into a battle and eventually, both of us were soaked to the bone. I didn't care though and neither did he. We were enjoying ourselves too much. I stood and pulled him to his feet then found a large flat rock. Lucien sat down and pulled me into his lap. We sat there for the longest in complete silence, just watching the stars.

"Rivien, when do you want to go after our target?" I sighed.

"Why can't we just enjoy tonight? Let's start tomorrow."

"And what do you want to do tonight?" I turned to look at him.

"Doesn't matter to me. As long as it has nothing to do with the brotherhood. Deal?" he smiled and kissed me.

"Deal." We stayed on the beach for awhile before he stood with me in his arms.

"Where are we going?" I asked sleepily.

"I figure that we should rent a room in an inn for the night seeing as how you don't want to get started on the mission tonight." I held a finger to his lips.

"No brotherhood tonight remember? Tonight is about us." He smiled and carried me to the Anvil stables. We cast our invisibility spells and dug into Shadowmere's saddlebags for our common clothes. We changed quickly and released the spells.

"You look lovely in a dress Rivien."

"You don't look so bad yourself Lucien." The top of his shirt was open to reveal a muscular chest and his pants fit perfectly. I smiled to myself. He held out a hand and I took it; we walked to the Anvil gates. The guards let us in wordlessly and we looked for an inn. Lucien picked probably the most expensive inn in the entire city. When I protested, he said that money wasn't an object. I shut my mouth. As Speakers, we both got paid pretty handsomely when we completed our missions. This one would pay very nicely since it was taking so long and because it had multiple targets. We bought ourselves some food and sat at a table beside the roaring fire. Only one other person was in the large room and he was across it sitting at a table against the wall. We ate our food in relative silence. There were a few muttered words here and there but it wasn't an awkward supper. We were very comfortable with each other now. When we finished, Lucien stood and offered a hand. He was treating me like we were engaged. It was very sweet honestly. I took his hand and allowed him to lead me upstairs. I'd originally thought he'd rented two rooms but when I asked, he'd just laughed.

"You were complaining about the price, so I only rented one room for us." I felt my face pale when he opened the door. There was only one bed. I didn't mind being in the same room but I wanted separate beds. It would make me much more comfortable.

"So, who gets the floor?"

"What? Why would one of us sleep on the floor?"

"I don't know…" He began to laugh and shut the door.

"Rivien, we've slept together in the woods. What makes an inn any different?" I shrugged.

"It just seems…odd." He sighed.

"Come on Rivien, just tonight. It want hurt anything." I looked up at him. He gave me a small smile.

"Fine, fine. Just don't try anything." I heard him laugh as I walked to the bed. It was a very nice bed (It was a very nice inn…) and had a nice mattress to be honest. I sat down and pulled off my riding boots. Lucien did the same on the other side of the bed. With a yawn, I laid down and pulled the blankets over me. Lucien stood and turned down the lanterns until they were barely casting any light in the room. He crawled under the blankets with me. I rolled away from him and stayed on the extreme edge of the bed. This felt so _weird!_

"Are you planning on staying like that the whole night? I doubt its very comfortable."

"It's perfectly fine." In truth it wasn't and I edged ever so slightly towards the middle of the bed. I could just picture the smug smile on Lucien's face right now. It made me want to pull my hair out. Lucien began breathing heavily a few minutes later. Soon, I felt his arm circle my waist and he pulled me closer to him. I stiffened for a moment before realizing that he was asleep. I closed my eyes and tried to drift off into sleep.

**Lucien's POV**

She must think that I'm asleep. That's probably the only reason that she hasn't said anything to me yet. I smiled to myself. Maybe I should let her know that I was awake. I didn't like deceiving Rivien like this.

"Comfortable now?" I whispered in her ear. I could've sworn that she shivered.

"Lucien! You weren't asleep!" She whispered back harshly.

"Nope." She tried to turn towards me. I let her but she didn't realize that our faces were very close. Her lips pressed to mine for the briefest instant. She pulled away quickly.

"Lucien I didn't mean to do that!" She said.

"I don't mind." I said. Why was my voice so rough? I ignored it.

"I know that you don't. That's the problem." I heard her mutter.

"It's a problem?"

"Yes and no. I know that you don't mind if I kiss you, but since we are in a _bed _I figure that you'll take it in the wrong way." So that was what was bothering her.

"Rivien, when that moment comes, I want both of us to be ready for it. I personally wouldn't mind-" She punched me in the arm. "But I know that you aren't ready. I don't think either of us would be ready for the consequences. Maybe in another year." I saw her face turn red in the dim light and I chuckled. "What, does that bother you?"

"…no." did she actually hesitate? I stared at her. She didn't say anything for a moment. "Lucien, I love you very much. I don't know if I'm ready for that…stage in our relationship." I looked at the ceiling. Rivien moved a little to get more comfortable. It sent shivers up my spine. I focused on a spot on the ceiling to keep my mind off of what I _wanted _to do.

"Are you ok? I felt you shake."

"I'm perfectly fine. Nothing wrong at all." My voice wasn't very convincing. Rivien moved a little and propped up on an elbow.

"You're lying. Your voice is strained. Are you getting sick?"

"I'm fine Rivien." She chuckled and I focused on the spot even harder. _Don't do it, don't do it._ That was what I was chanting in my mind.

"Are you sure?" She asked in a soft voice.

"To hell with it!" I said.

"What—" I pressed my mouth to hers and cut her off. She resisted for a moment, but only for a moment. Before I knew what was going on, we were caught up in a whirlwind. _I don't want this to go too far, _I thought to myself. _She said that she wasn't ready._ Apparently, my body wasn't wanting to respond to what my mind was saying. In truth, I didn't want to stop, and apparently, neither did Rivien.

* * *

Hey everyone! I know that you probably all hate me for waiting so long to publish the next chapter! I apologize, but i had writers block and my chem class is getting pretty hard. Anyway, i know that i left this chapter off in an...interesting spot but i'm not going into details. If you want them, use your imagination :) Let me know what you think!!

XO,

Eldest123323


	19. Chapter 19

**Rivien's POV**

_The next day…_

I awoke before Lucien. I rolled onto my side so I could look at him. While he was awake, he typically looked stressed, but when he was asleep, it was a totally different story. I could see why I had fallen in love with him. Everything about Lucien was perfect in my eyes. I stroked his cheek gently. His hand came up and grabbed mine.

"Good morning." He whispered.

"Hey." I said with a smile. He opened his eyes and looked at me.

"Rivien, about last night...I'm sorry. I know that you said you weren't ready…" I put my finger to his lips.

"Lucien hush. What happened was what was meant to happen."

"I guess." He smiled at me. "I didn't mind in any case." I kissed him quickly and climbed out of bed. I began to pull on my clothes that had been thrown in the floor overnight. Lucien was laughing as he did the same.

"I think that you threw them a little hard. They are on the other side of the room!" I turned red and threw a book at him. "Hey!" I turned and gave him an angelic smile.

"You might want to shut up Lucien." I warned with a laugh. I was in an amazing mood for some reason. I'd figured that I would regret last night, but I actually thought that I loved Lucien even more. I didn't think that he'd want to hear that though.

"Alright, our one day is over. How do you want to go about eliminating the mark?"

"You killed the last one. This kill is mine." He chuckled.

"Really? What makes you think that I'd let you get this kill?"

"Because, it's my turn anyway. You can do whatever mission comes along next." He rolled his eyes.

"Let's go get some breakfast." I agreed and we went downstairs. Lucien bought some food and we sat at a table in the corner and ate in silence again. When we were finished, we left the inn.

"Just like the other two times. Question whoever you think that will give some information and then we meet up at the stables around sunset. Deal?"

"Deal." We went our separate ways. I decided to head to the docks and question some of the sailors. They were probably drunk anyway and wouldn't remember giving up anything. I took my time getting there so the guards wouldn't pay me any attention. In Anvil, the guards had a history of stopping people who ran through the streets. The first sailor that I found was a very large Imperial who was sitting on a box beside the water. He smelled just like alcohol and I balked a little. My last encounter with a drunk was what got me into the brotherhood in the first place.

I swallowed my fear and walked over to him. He eyed me with hostility at first before answering my questions. He didn't give me any problems and the information was pretty good. I handed him a gold piece even though I figured that he would just buy more liquor with it. The next few people just repeated what I'd been told earlier. Then I found someone who said that some things had been going on in the Anvil lighthouse. When I asked what, he just said that there were screams in the middle of the night and when people go to see what's going on, they are told to leave. I left the docks feeling that I actually accomplished something. I didn't have anything else to do today, so I went out to the stables. Shadowmere nuzzled my arm when I walked over to her. I pulled a brush out of her saddle bags and brushed her for a while. Lucien eventually showed up about an hour before sunset. I was sitting on the fence waiting for him.

"I didn't realize that you'd already be here." He said.

"Yeah. I got the information that I needed."

"Really? That was pretty fast."

"The sailors give good information when they aren't themselves." Lucien began to laugh.

"You actually talked to the drunkards? I didn't think that you would ever go near them again. Especially after what happened to you that one time."

"How do you know about that?" I asked. I was a little shocked.

"As a speaker, you'll find out pretty much everything."

"Oh." That was a little weird honestly. I hadn't heard anything. But neither had Lucien as far as I knew. Maybe nothing important had happened lately.

"Anyway, what information did you find? Maybe it's the same as mine."

"Apparently, something weird is going on at the Anvil lighthouse. I'm not sure what, but the people who live on the docks have heard screams and have been turned away when they go to see what the problem is."

"I heard the same from a beggar in the city. Want to go check it out tonight?" I nodded and pulled my robes out of Shadowmere's bags. I grabbed Lucien's and threw them to him. We quickly changed (invisibly of course) and placed our normal clothes back in Shadowmere's saddle bags. I began running towards the coast. I could hear Lucien's light footfalls behind me as I made my way through the tall grasses that surrounded the city wall. I stopped once I saw the light from the lighthouse shining out towards the sea.

"So, what's our plan? Do you want to just charge in or do you want to sneak?" He looked at me like I was an idiot.

"We're assassins. What do you think?" I turned red as I caught his meaning.

"Right." I muttered. "Want to lead?" He shook his head.

"Once we get there, we split up. Whoever finds the man first is who gets the kill. Deal?" I nodded. Leave it to Lucien to turn this into a competition. We ran the remainder of the way to the lighthouse. Once at it, we crouched down and began to look around. The sun was completely set now so we easily blended in with the shadows. At the side we found a door that led into the small house the connected to the actual lighthouse. Lucien pointed at it then at me and I nodded. He picked the lock on the lighthouse door and went inside. I used a spell to open the door and I crept inside. The first thing that I noticed was the rancid smell. I had to cover my nose and mouth to keep from gagging. I stood in the doorway for a moment to catch my breath then continued on through the house.

I found what was causing the smell: there were corpses of animals all around the room. They were stacked up on boxes that were placed around the room. I tried to keep my food down but it didn't work. I ended up retching into the corner. I wiped my mouth then spit to get the taste out of my mouth. Once I thought I could continue, I made my way to a door that was on the opposite side of the room. I could see a light shining from under the door. It was like a spotlight in this dim room. I stepped over everything in the floor and used my spell that unlocked doors and I walked inside. Before I could register what I was seeing in my brain, someone jumped on top of me and bound my hands and feet. I was gagged and blindfolded. I struggled for a bit before the person on top of me pressed down, choking off my air.

"We meet again Rivien." It was a man's voice whispering in my ear. It was very familiar. I had to think for a minute. Then realization dawned on me. I hoped that Lucien could get to me or I was dead.

**Lucien's POV**

The lighthouse looked just like any ordinary lighthouse. The steps went all the way to the top and the only door opened into a storeroom that was fairly empty except for a few boxes that contained candles and the like. I didn't find anything that would point to something suspicious going on in this place. Maybe Rivien had some more luck since she went into what I would consider the storage area for the whole lighthouse. I walked back down the steps and went outside to wait for Rivien. A breeze was coming in from the ocean and I inhaled deeply. I think I know why she loves the beach so much. It's much easier to breathe here than in the mountains. Plus, it's just as beautiful. I removed my hood so I could feel the breeze a little better. These robes were a little too warm sometimes. After waiting for about ten minutes, I began to get the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong. Rivien shouldn't have been taking that long in the small part of the lighthouse. I decided that I would go check up on her even though she would probably hate me for a day or two. I opened the door and walked inside.

**Rivien's POV**

I managed to shake my attacker off of me. I was surprised to see that it was Mathieu Bellamont who was attempting to hold me down. I barely managed to get the binding off of my wrists and the gag out of my mouth before he was trying to attack me again.

"Get the hell away from me!"I screamed. He grinned wolfishly.

"And why would I do that? It's your time to die Rivien. You shouldn't have joined this group of assassins like you did." My face paled with rage and I tried to stab him with the dagger I kept at my waist. He easily dodged it and tried to do the same to me. I moved to the right but not fast enough. It grazed my thigh and I hissed in pain. His dagger had poison dripping off of it.

"Why are you trying to kill me?" I demanded. He laughed and it chilled me to the bone. Something was very wrong with this man.

"The Brotherhood killed my mother and now I'm getting my revenge. I'll kill every last one of you even if it takes me years!" He yelled. I jumped out of the way of his wild swing.

"I had nothing to do with killing your mother!"  
"Liar! Everyone in the Brotherhood did!" He was crazy! He had to be! I didn't really know the layout of this room and I definitely wasn't expecting to jump backwards and slam into a large shelf. It fell over backwards and I with it. Something heavy crushed my arm and I tried not to cry out in pain. Mathieu smiled again and advanced towards me. I tried to move my arm but then I saw it was broken. I didn't know enough healing magic to do anything to it either. Where was Lucien? I prayed that he would save me. I actually wanted his help this time! I was about to yell out his name when my attacker lunged at me. I rolled to the side, screaming as pain lanced up my arm, and his dagger caught my robe. I was trapped now. I couldn't move away from him. Then I did something that I hadn't done in awhile—I began to cry. I wasn't sobbing but warm tears were running down my face. I had been betrayed and now I would never be able to see Lucien again.

"Aww, are you crying? Surely the pain isn't that bad." His devilish grin grew even bigger. This was it. This was how I was going to die. Then I heard a door open. Before I could say anything, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. His dagger was protruding from my chest. I felt everything begin to fade. Mathieu laughed triumphantly and I heard him drag something heavy towards me. Then I heard the most beautiful voice in the world.

**Lucien's POV**

"Mathieu? What are you doing here?" I demanded suspiciously. I'd heard a crash a minute ago but the shelves were blocking my view of him from the waist down.

"I was just passing through when I heard you were in Anvil with your little girlfriend. I thought that you might want a little help. Apparently I was too late." I stared at him in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?"

"Come and see for yourself." I didn't see Rivien anywhere. Panic began to settle in my chest. I ran over to him and saw Rivien lying in a pool of her own blood on the floor. Her arm was laying beside her at an odd angle.

"You bastard!" I screamed. "What have you done!?" His face turned red.

"I avenged your girlfriend thank you very much! See?" He pointed to a dead man that fit the description of our target. Somehow, I just couldn't believe that she had met this fate from that man lying over there. "Well Lucien, I'll leave things to you." He walked out of the room but not before I heard him chuckle darkly. I spun around to kill him but he was already gone.

"…Lucien…" My head shot in the direction of the voice. It was Rivien! She wasn't dead! I squatted down beside her.

"Rivien! What happened?" I asked. She turned her head slowly towards me. It was then I saw that she wasn't going to make it. She'd lost way too much blood.

"I lost…" She whispered. I felt my eyes tear up.

"Who did this to you? Was it that man?" I pointed at the corpse beside her. Weakly she shook her head.

"…no. It was…Bell…amont." She was fading on me.

"No Rivien! Stay with me! Rivien!" She gave me a weak, small smile.

"Lucien…I'll see you on the other side." Then the life faded from her. I stared at her in disbelief for a moment, tears running down my face. I gingerly picked her up and took her outside. I howled my pain and grief at the sky. At this point I didn't care who heard me and what they said. I had to get her back to Cheydinhall. I wasn't going to leave her here in a foreign city. Suddenly, something nuzzled my arm. Shadowmere had somehow gotten over her to us. If I had her run, we could easily be in Cheydinhall by tomorrow afternoon. People didn't believe that Shadowmere could run that fast but what people didn't understand was that Shadowmere was a different kind of horse. I'd won her from someone a few years ago. I looked down at Rivien and the tears began flowing even harder. Shadowmere nuzzled me again and I mounted her with Rivien. Then she began running at her full speed towards Cheydinhall.

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Alright everyone, that's the ending. I've went ahead and posted an Epilogue too. I know that this was a very depressing ending but it will come into play in my new story Shadow Fire. I was using this story to explain why Lucien is the cold-hearted person that we all know and love! I hope that you liked this story! Let me know!!


	20. Chapter 20

I held Rivien's body close to mine as I walked to the top of our waterfalls. It was sunset, just like the first time that we came here together. It was where we realized that we loved each other. Tears rolled down my face as I sat her down on the ground. I would never see her smile again. Would never hear her laugh or see the flash of anger in her eyes when someone ticked her off. I'd already dug the spot that I was going to bury her in. Gently, I lifted her back up and placed her in the grave. She looked so pale that it made the tears come even faster.

"Rivien, why did you have to die? Why?" I began shoveling dirt on top of her. Each shovelful was like another knife into my already shattered heart. Once I had the grave completely filled, I fell down beside it and cried.

"Rivien, I swear that he will pay, I swear he will." I said over and over. When I had cried all the tears that I held inside of me, I stood and walked over to the rock that overlooked all of the falls. The sky was totally black tonight, no moon at all. Maybe Sithis was telling me that Rivien was with him now. I hoped so. That meant that I would get to see her one day.

"Today I learned that loving is the biggest mistake that you can make in your life." I said to the air. "From this day forward, I will never love another, never become attached to anyone else. Every time you get close to someone, they are ripped away from you." I glared at the sky.

"I swear Mathieu Bellamont, I will get my revenge. It may take weeks, It may take years, but you _will_ die. I will make sure of it." With that, I walked down the hill, my heart turning into ice all the way down.

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This is a really short epilogue i know. I just put this in here so that some things in my story Shadow Fire will make sense. I really enjoyed writing this story and i'm kinda sad that i'm finished with it but i've got other projects to work on now. In my next story, Stephan and Arya from Through the Flames are going to play a part as is Lucien. Thanks for following this story! I love you all for the feedback and suggestions that you made!

XO, Eldest123323


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